Community Food Bank of Eastern OklahomaOsage County, OK -
A new program is expanding outside of Tulsa
beginning today to help meet the needs of hungry seniors in Oklahoma.
The Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma
is kicking off its new Senior Servings program today in Osage and Nowata
Counties. The program is a joint
effort with AARP Oklahoma to help identify seniors in Oklahoma
struggling with hunger.
Two food distributions will take place today in both
counties with approximately 50 seniors identified and pre-registered at each
site, according to a press release from the Community Food Bank of Eastern
Oklahoma.
The first distribution will take place in Pawhuska at the
Osage County Nutrition/Cedar Ridge Site beginning at 9:30 am. Organizers will then travel to the second site at
the Nowata Senior Citizens Center and begin distribution at 2 pm.
Several dignitaries have been invited to attend the
distributions in each county including Pawhuska's Mayor Roger Taylor and Nowata's
Mayor Jim Patton. Representatives from the Oklahoma State Department of Health
and other town board members also will be present.
The Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma
serves 24 counties in eastern Oklahoma
including Osage and Nowata counties, according to the press release. The food
bank's two most vulnerable populations within their service area include senior
and children.
In Oklahoma, 6.8 percent of seniors are food insecure which
makes older Oklahomans 25 percent more likely to be food insecure than the
national average, according to Feeding America, a non-profit organization whose
mission is to fight to end hunger in the U.S.
A recent study conducted by Feeding America also reported
that 45.4 percent of eastern Oklahomans had to choose between food and medical
care, according to the study.
AARP Oklahoma is partnering with the food bank on a six
month plan that has resulted in the Senior Servings program, according to the
press release.
Following today's food distributions in Osage and Nowata
counties, the food bank will provide the program beginning October 1 and
every other Monday going forward to both facilities.
