For Immediate Release

Angela Allmond, Communications Director
Oklahoma Democratic Party
angela@okdemocrats.org

Governor Ignores Half a Million Oklahoma Children in Need

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, — JANUARY 4, 2023 – The Oklahoma Democratic Party is disappointed in the governor’s decision not to participate in the federally subsidized summer lunch program that feeds hungry children.

“Despite 20% of Oklahoma children living in food insecurity and Oklahoma continuously being in the bottom 10 in outcomes for children, the governor doesn’t believe that Oklahoma children deserve to eat,” stated Alicia Andrews, Chair of the Oklahoma Democratic Party.

“This governor brags about our state’s surplus but doesn’t want to allocate resources to assist our children unless there’s something in it for him. He loves to be in front of the camera, boasting about how he cares about Oklahomans. The Governor convened a press conference declaring November “Family Month”. If we were truly a family-first state, we would exhaust all available federal programs and resources to ensure that the over 400,000 children living with food insecurity were taken care of. That would contribute to happier, healthier families.

“During the pandemic, when over 600 thousand children were eligible for the lunch program, we learned that rural children had more difficulty accessing food giveaway programs. The process oftentimes involved meeting at places outside of one’s community, making it difficult for parents to pick up meals. Adding money to EBT cards would be a more user-friendly solution. Families could use the EBT card at their local grocery store.

“This decision will affect Oklahomans differently. The Cherokee and Chickasaw Nations opted to participate and will provide lunches for eligible children who attend schools on their reservations. It is worse than unfortunate that the state of Oklahoma chose to opt out for all other children. It is immoral not to look out for our most vulnerable to ensure they do not go hungry. Nonprofit organizations like the Food Bank face increasing needs for their services, and this governor just made things more difficult for families and children in need. This is not how Oklahoma becomes a top ten state,” Andrews concluded.

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For more information about the Oklahoma Democratic Party, visit the party website at okdemocrats.org, or call party headquarters at 405-427-3366.