Viewpoint: Oklahoma food banks can't end hunger alone

From February to March, the need for food assistance in central and western Oklahoma increased as much as 50%.

The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma knows all too well that hunger affects too many Oklahomans. It can be a neighbor, a co-worker or your child’s classmate. People find themselves facing food insecurity for a variety of reasons, such as an unexpected major expense or having a job that doesn’t pay a living wage.

The trauma and challenges presented by living through a pandemic have been felt by all but especially our most vulnerable. The country averted a major hunger crisis these past few years thanks to the work of food banks and pantries, donors and a robust federal financial response. With the ending of pandemic-related financial aid, plus high inflation, it is not surprising that we’re once again seeing more Oklahomans seeking food assistance.

We recently heard from David, a Moore resident, who was laid off during the pandemic.

"The Regional Food Bank FRC has been a tremendous help for my family. My job situation has improved somewhat but knowing this exists is a peace of mind."

In addition to increased need for food, the Regional Food Bank’s partner network is seeing an increase in inquiries about rent and utility assistance. Too many of our neighbors are at risk of losing a safe place to rest their heads.

Faced with rising need, the Regional Food Bank also is dealing with higher operational costs, including diesel that is 105% higher than one year ago. Each day, our fleet drives nearly 1,600 miles across the 53 counties in our service area.

The supply chain issues continue to impact food sourcing and requires us to find innovative means to secure nutritious food. In some cases, we may trade inventory we have in abundance to another food bank in exchange for fresh produce.

The charitable sector alone can’t end hunger. It takes a public and private partnership to become the Oklahoma that we know we can be and recover strong from the pandemic. With the influx of federal funds to our state, the Legislature and our local communities have once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to make historic investments. Let’s use this critical time to maximize our resources.

We have a real chance through American Rescue Plan Act pandemic relief funding at the local and state levels to invest in food security and other wraparound supports that can help all Oklahomans become self-sufficient. Join us in encouraging elected leaders to make food security a priority of pandemic relief funding.

Because it can happen to any of us, it will take all of us working together to prevent hunger in Oklahoma.

Stacy Dykstra is the chief executive officer of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: COVID, rising hunger pushes Oklahoma food banks to innovate