Governor Fallin’s Inaugural Food Drive a Success
Published: January 12th, 2011
CapitolBeatOK Staff Report
Published 12-Jan-2011
The statewide “Feeding Oklahoma” food drive organized by the inaugural committee of Governor Mary Fallin raised more than 20,000 pounds of food and $100,000, the governor announced today.
The food drive was capped off with a donation Wednesday of 9,000 pounds of food from the Association of Oklahoma General Contractors. This food and fund drive, which began in early December and ran through January 10, will provide nearly 680,000 meals to hungry families and seniors this winter.
“Oklahomans are the most caring and giving people around and they proved it by answering the call to participate in the Feeding Oklahoma food drive,” Fallin said. “I want to thank the Oklahoma General Contractors, all our corporate sponsors and everyone who brought in food items. Your willingness to help out our families and neighbors embodies the Oklahoma Spirit which makes our state such a special place to live and raise a family.”
The “Feeding Oklahoma” food and fund drive benefited the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma and the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. Together, the two food banks serve all 77 counties in Oklahoma.
“We are delighted to be part of such an important initiative,” said Bobby Stem, AOGC executive director. “Our members are can-do men and women who willingly use our resources to benefit those in most need of assistance. We applaud the Governor on taking the lead in meeting such a growing demand in the state of Oklahoma.”
Food donation drop-off sites included: BancFirst locations statewide, the Oklahoma Farm Bureau and all Oklahoma City metro area Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores. UPS picked up and delivered all donations in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metro areas and local food drive “champions” helped to collect food donations for partner agencies throughout the rest of the state.
In addition to food items, the food drive received significant monetary donations from: the Made in Oklahoma Coalition, SandRidge Energy, ConocoPhillips, the Choctaw Nation and FSB. The food drive raised more than $50,000, an amount that was doubled to $100,000 thanks to Chesapeake Energy, which agreed to match all monetary donations to the Regional Food Bank in the month of December.
“We want to thank Governor Fallin for joining the fight against hunger in our state,” said Rodney Bivens, executive director of the Regional Food Bank. “The Governor’s ‘Feeding Oklahoma’ initiative motivated Oklahomans to donate food and funds to help those who are struggling to keep food on their table this winter and the Oklahoma Food Banks are extremely grateful for the support.”
Oklahoma is the fifth hungriest state in the nation, where one in five children is at risk of hunger every day. The Oklahoma Food Banks serve more than 130,000 people each week, yet it still not enough to keep up with the increased demand.