CHICKASHA - “Hunger is Not OK” is a report by the Oklahoma Task Force on Hunger from December of 2007 that showed Oklahoma is one of the hungriest states in America. Within the report findings that the national rate of food insecurity has remained steady at 11.3 percent over the past 10 years, the percentage of Oklahoma’s population classified as “food insecure” has risen from 13.1 percent to 14.6 percent. Currently, 17 percent of Oklahomans live in poverty, the seventh worst poverty rate in the nation. This is a substantial increase since 2000 when 13.8 percent of Oklahomans lived in poverty.

Most of the families facing poverty and food insecurity are composed of working adults, disabled individuals, seniors or retirees, and children.

“Each night, over 7,000 Oklahoma children go to bed hungry. More than 500 of these children live in Grady County. We can’t let this happen.” said Oklahoma State Representative Susan Winchester at the Oklahoma Home and Community Education of Grady County and Chickasha Lions Club hosted Grady County Food 4 Kids Program event last week.

The Grady County Food 4 Kids, a program of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, is an emergency food assistance program designed especially for children. Children identified as chronically hungry by school personnel are able to receive a backpack filled with non-perishable, kid-friendly food to use over the weekend or school holiday.

“I remember an instance where a young boy had collapsed in class one Monday morning because the last time he had eaten anything was lunch at school on the previous Friday. Or a time a small girl was found eating balloons in a closet at school, and when the teacher asked her why she was eating them, the girl replied ‘because I’m hungry’ and this is unacceptable.” said guest speaker Rodney Givens, executive director of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.

The food bank estimates the number of eligible children in Grady County as follows:

Middleburg Elementary-50, Lincoln-West Elementary-61, Alex Elementary-54, Amber-Pocasset Elementary-60, Ninnekah Elementary-63, Pioneer Elementary-83, Grand Ave. Elementary-98, Friend Elementary-54, Bill Wallace EC-96, Southeast Elementary-65, Minco Elementary-67, Rush Springs Elementary-79, Tuttle Elementary-145, Verden Elementary-56, and the highest with Bridge Creek Elementary-155.

Only one program is in Grady County currently, with three more programs approved and are awaiting funding. To help with the funding several local civic and community organizations donated over $11,500 to the Food Bank at the event. The largest donation was from Arvest Bank and the Walton Foundation in the amount of $10,000 presented by Dave Adams, Candice Dorman, and Lizzi George. Richard Witte of the Chickasha Kiwanis Club presented the organization with a hefty $500 check as well.

The estimated cost to provide the services by the food bank is over $160,000.

The Food Bank made several recommendations to anyone that wishes to help. Volunteers can assemble bags of food at the Food Bank or make a financial donation -- $135 can provide enough food for one child the entire school year, a gift of $3,000 will provide enough food for 22 hungry children at one school for an entire school year. The can also donate non-perishable foods.

To ensure donations are channeled locally, designate Grady County on the envelope and check when mailing-in donations to P.O. Box 270968, Oklahoma City, OK 73137-0968 made payable to the Regional Food Bank of OK. Or for more information call 405-972-1111 or go online at www.regionalfoodbank.org.