Fourth Oklahoma tribe offering food assistance for children after state opts out
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A fourth Oklahoma tribe is signing up for a federal program to feed children in the summer, after Gov. Kevin Stitt opted out of providing the assistance statewide.
The Osage Nation will open the program up to all children who live in Osage County and qualify for the program, which provides monthly payments to families in low-income homes to make sure kids don't go hungry.
The Cherokee, Chickasaw and Choctaw nations have also said they plan to offer the assistance.
Families whose children qualify for free or reduced lunches can receive up to $120 per child, divided into $40 increments in June, July and August. The money is uploaded to electronic benefits transfer cards, commonly referred to as EBT cards, that families can use to buy groceries.
More: Opting out of federal summer food program bad decision for Oklahoma children, readers say
Geoffrey Standing Bear, the principal chief of the Osage Nation, could not be reached to discuss the tribe's decision to opt in to the program.
Why Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt says he chose not to enroll in USDA summer food program
Stitt's choice not to enroll Oklahoma in the program has drawn widespread criticism in a state where nearly 200,000 children live in poverty. A 2023 nationwide study of child wellbeing concluded Oklahoma was one of the worst states for children, ranking it ahead of only four other states. Researchers noted that rates of childhood poverty, death and obesity were getting worse in Oklahoma, instead of better.
The governor said he was uncertain how the U.S. Department of Agriculture would administer the program, and the state already has ways to help families pay for food.
Stitt joined several GOP governors in rejecting the aid, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Other states opting out include Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming.
Oklahoma is one of two states where tribal nations have signed up for the program. The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians plans to offer the funding to families who live in its region of Mississippi.
Molly Young covers Indigenous affairs. Reach her at mollyyoung@gannett.com or 405-347-3534.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Osage Nation will offer child food assistance rejected by Oklahoma
