The Link

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“Fighting Hunger...Feeding Hope”

www.regionalfoodbank.org

You’re Giving Kids the Fuel to Learn!

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Regional Food Bank oF oklahoma BoaRd oF diRectoRs

oFFiceRs:Derek B. Gill, ChairFirst United BankJohn Williams, Vice ChairChef ’s Requested Foods, Inc.Tim Bellanti, TreasurerAssociated Wholesale GrocersTressa Madden, SecretaryOklahoma State Department of Health

BoaRd memBeRs:Jim Brooks, Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products CenterRobert H. Clements, Clements Food CompanyChris K. Davis, Sysco OklahomaSam Erwin, U.S. FoodservicePeggy Garrett, Urban MissionMark Harsha, Harsha ProductionsJim Kimble, Jasco ProductsDave Koeneke, Oklahoma Safety CouncilDavid Lopez, Lopez Foods IncorporatedRob McLaughlin, Advance Food CompanyKirk Purnell, Ben E. KeithSteve Riggs, National Association of Letter Carriers

Regional Food Bank Foundation BoaRd oF diRectoRs

oFFiceRs:Martha A. Burger, ChairChesapeake Energy CorporationMarian Moon, Vice ChairCommunity LeaderG. Rainey Williams, TreasurerMarco Capital Group, ALPMarian Tisdal, SecretaryCommunity LeaderTony Boghetich, Past PresidentOmar B. Milligan Enterprises

BoaRd memBeRs:Cindy Batt, Bank of OklahomaDiana Beeler, Community LeaderDennis Brand, BancFirstIsabel Chancellor, IngenuitE, Inc.Robert H. Clements, Clements Food CompanyCynthia Dutton, Community LeaderPat Garrett, Garrett & CompanyDerek B. Gill, First United BankRay Haefele, Tyson Foods (Retired)Clydene Howard, Wal-Mart Supercenters (OKC)Jim Jarrett, Oklahoma Natural GasEd Kelley, The OklahomanXavier Neira, Rooney Holdings, Inc.Tony Maranto, EOG Resources, Inc.Christina Nihira, Freelance WriterAvis Scaramucci, Nonna’s Euro-American RistoranteSteven P. Rhines, The Noble FoundationVince White, Devon EnergyGail Wynne, Carlisle Collection

Foodlink BoaRd oF diRectoRs

oFFiceRs:Michael E. Joseph, ChairMcAfee & TaftTony Boghetich, Vice ChairOmar B. Milligan EnterprisesSherri Price, SecretaryCommunity Leader

BoaRd memBeRs:James R. Hopper, Oklahoma Restaurant AssociationSharon Neuwald, Department of Human Services (Retired)Gail Wynne, Carlisle Collection

counsel Michael E. Joseph, McAfee & Taft

From

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roDney W. BivensEXECuTIVE DIRECToR

Dear Friend,

I want to sincerely thank you for your support of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. It’s your gifts that kept children from going hungry during the difficult summer months when they didn’t have school meals to depend on, which ensures they’ll be ready for the upcoming school year. You also helped feed hard-working parents, senior citizens living on fixed incomes and countless others.

Now, with the start of a new school year, our thoughts turn once again to the children who need our help in order to succeed and reach their full potential. We are pleased to say that the Food for Kids backpack program has grown to serve elementary schools in 42 of the 53 counties in our service area. But we know it’s not enough. We need to expand Food for Kids to all 53 counties over the next three to five years – but it will require significant additional funding. It’s with the help of friends like you that every chronically hungry elementary school student in central and western oklahoma will soon have food to eat on the weekends.

one of the ways you can support the Food Bank’s Food for Kids program right now is by purchasing the Made in oklahoma (MIo) Coalition’s new 8-pack of paper towels the next time you’re at the store. Proceeds from the sale of these paper towels benefit the Food Bank’s Food for Kids program. So far, MIo paper towels have raised more than $50,000 for the Food for Kids program state-wide!

Looking ahead to September, we’re gearing up for national Hunger Action Month. Please make plans to be a part of this important hunger-awareness initiative by participating in “30 Ways in 30 Days.” Check out www.regionalfoodbank.org for a new way to fight hunger in your community each day of the month.

As you read the stories in this fall issue of The Link and see the lives you’ve touched, I hope you’ll be as encouraged as I am by the real and significant impact your support is making in our community. Thank you for all you do for our neighbors in need.

“We don’t accomplish anything in this world alone. Whatever

happens is the result of...all the individual threads from one to

another that create something.”

-Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

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Every day, Jessica experiences both sides of service.

As the volunteer coordinator of the food pantry at Highland Baptist Church in Moore, oklahoma, a partner agency of the Regional Food Bank of oklahoma, she sees first-hand how much a box of nutritious groceries can change a person’s life.

Jessica also enjoys helping her hungry neighbors because she truly understands how they feel – the frustration and fear of not being able to make ends meet, the hesitation to ask for help, and the relief of taking home enough food to get through the month.

“I’m kind of in the same boat,” she says. “[Serving at the food pantry] really helps me relate.”

Jessica’s husband Levi was laid off over a year ago from his job as a contractor in the united States Air Force. Before that, Levi spent nearly a decade serving his country in the Air Force, leaving home for places as far away as oman and Saudi Arabia. When he left the service, he wanted nothing more than to be home and take care of his young family. He hates that he isn’t able to provide for his wife and three small children right now like he wishes he could.

Levi has been receiving unemployment, but Jessica says this assistance ran out in June. Since Jessica stays home full-time with 4-year-old Luke, 2-year-old Adam and 1-year-old Jude, the family is now struggling to make ends meet without a steady source of income. Jessica says they’re in the process of selling their house right now because they just can’t afford the mortgage payments anymore. The couple is heartbroken to lose

you help Families Through Life’s Trials

their home, but they know that being able to feed their children is more important right now.

And thanks to friends like you, food is one thing they don’t have to worry about. Because of your gifts to the Regional Food Bank, Jessica has been able to take home nutritious groceries like canned vegetables, cheese, pasta, bread and other important staples from the food pantry at Highland Baptist Church when she really needed them.

She’s so thankful that friends like you have given to help families in their times of need.

“ Thank you!” she says. “ It really helps, even though you don’t see it. It’s nice to know that people care.”

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Jessica with her 1-year-old son, Jude

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T h a n k y o u f o r F e e d i n g O k l a h o m a n s t h i s F a l l !

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Thank you To The following groups for doing Their parT To fighT hunger here in cenTral and wesTern oklahoma:feeding hope and leTTer carriers food drive Nearly 100 businesses and letter carriers in 59 cities in 32 counties raised a record 855,000 pounds of food and more than $700,000 during the Feeding Hope and Letter Carriers Food Drive in May. This translates into nearly 5.5 million meals for hungry Oklahomans! Thank you to all of the sponsors, letter carriers, volunteers and donors who made this food drive such a success!

doT foods Thanks to Dot Foods, Inc. for their generous donation of much-needed food items, including tuna, peanut butter, beans and rice. This food will be provided to partner agencies in Johnson, Jefferson, Murray, Love and Carter counties.

midwestmedia & marketingWe would like to thank midwestmedia & marketing for selecting the Food Bank as the recipient of a video production grant. This generous grant allowed us to create a Food for Kids video to share with our donors! The video will be available for viewing on our website at regionalfoodbank.org.

pound for pound challengeThank you to everyone who participated in this year’s Pound for Pound Challenge. Because of the pounds you pledged to lose, the Regional Food Bank received a generous product donation from Green Giant and will receive more than $7,000 in the coming months.

chesapeake energyThank you to Chesapeake Energy for donating billboard space to help us recruit volunteers this summer!

Thank you To The following organizaTions for Their generous gifTs To The food Bank: •Bank of America - to support Food for Kids in Oklahoma City, Enid and Ponca City. •Dell Foundation - to support Food for Kids in Oklahoma County. •Inasmuch Foundation •Kirkpatrick Family Fund •MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger - to support the Regional Food Bank’s public policy and advocacy efforts. •McCasland Foundation •Walmart Foundation - to support our Childhood Hunger Initiative.

save The daTe!

made in oklahoma coaliTionProceeds from the Made in Oklahoma (MIO) Coalition’s new 8-pack of paper towels will benefit the Food Bank’s Food for Kids program. The next time you’re at the store, please remember to buy the MIO paper towels and help support Food for Kids!

workplace givingThe 2010 Combined Federal Campaign, the State Charitable Campaign and the Heart of the City Campaign are just around the corner. To support the Regional Food Bank, please mark designation code #67922 (CFC) or #9220 (SCC and HOTC). If your business would like to establish a workplace giving campaign to benefit the Food Bank, please contact Melanie Anthony at (405) 604-7114.

hunger acTion monTh | September This annual event, celebrated nation-wide, provides an opportunity for communities to get involved in the fight against hunger by holding food drives, donating time or resources and becoming advocates for the hungry. Keep an eye on our website for ways to get involved!

JohnaThan kayne’s fashion for food | September 25Fashion designer Johnathan Kayne, a former contestant on Project Runway, will host an exclusive fashion show featuring his latest designs. Proceeds from the fashion show, silent auction, wine pull and raffle will go to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma’s Food for Kids program. For more information, contact Natalie Wright at 405-604-7113.

sTudenTs againsT hunger food drive | September 27 - October 29This student-led food drive helps provide food for our partner agencies during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. If your school would like to participate, please contact Angie Gaines at 405-604-7109 or againes@regionalfoodbank.org. This food drive is presented by the Oklahoma County Bar Association – Young Lawyers Division, Devon Energy Corporation, Chesapeake Energy Corporation and United Way of Central Oklahoma.

hope’s harvesT luncheon | November 4Mark your calendars now for this year’s Hope’s Harvest Luncheon at the Regional Food Bank on November 4. This free, one-hour luncheon gives you a chance to see and hear more about the great work being done at the Food Bank because of your gifts. If you’d like to host a table at the luncheon, please contact Jennifer Arlan at 405-600-3155.

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Jerry Michael is seven years old and just started the second grade at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School in Seminole, oklahoma. His favorite subject is spelling – and he’s pretty good at it, too.

But when Jerry Michael doesn’t get enough to eat, it’s

hard for him to concentrate on spelling – or any subject, for

that matter. His parents work hourly jobs, and their incomes

just aren’t enough to provide for him and his three siblings all

the time. More often than not, there isn’t enough food to go

around for all six of them.

Fortunately, your gifts to the Regional Food Bank of

oklahoma make it possible for Jerry Michael – and his

brothers - to participate in the Food for Kids program at

Woodrow Wilson. This special program provides chronically

hungry children just like Jerry Michael with backpacks full of

nutritious food to last through the weekend.

“I just eat a little bit every day,” says Jerry Michael. He

quickly adds that he shares some of the backpack’s contents

with his whole family so that everyone gets enough to eat.

Deb Stacy, who distributes the Food for Kids backpacks at

Woodrow Wilson each Friday, says there is an enormous need

in Seminole. The town has a very high unemployment rate, so

many kids’ parents are simply unable to provide for them like

they wish they could. She says nearly 80 percent of students

participate in the school’s free or reduced-price meal program.

Without Food for Kids, many of these children would actually go hungry.

“I’ve seen kids almost lick their plates [in the cafeteria],” she says.

It’s your gifts to the Regional Food Bank of oklahoma that make it possible for schools like Woodrow Wilson Elementary to provide chronically hungry kids with backpacks full of nutritious food each weekend. These children and those who serve them are so grateful for your compassion and generosity.

“Thank you – we appreciate you!” says Deb.

The Regional Food Bank is committed to programs and policies that guarantee adequate nutrition for all oklahomans. With your help, we can lay the foundation for change. Join us in raising awareness about the reality of hunger in oklahoma and advocating for legislation that addresses the many factors that contribute to food insecurity. To learn more, visit www.regionalfoodbank.org and click “Advocate,” or contact Ashley Stokes at (405) 600-3129.

The Advocacy and Public Policy Department was made possible through a generous grant from MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger.

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you give kids the Fuel to Learn

iT Takes more Than FooD To FighT hunger

Jerry Michael is so grateful for his backpack of weekend food.

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Devon Energy Corporation is one of the

Regional Food Bank of oklahoma’s most valuable

community partners. Whether they’re giving their

time, talent or financial resources to help those in

need, Devon employees have proven time and again

just how committed they are to joining the Food

Bank in the fight against hunger here in central and

western oklahoma.

This past May, Devon employees stepped up

in a big way during the company’s annual week-

long food and fund drive. Throughout the week,

employees throughout all 50 floors of its downtown

office competed to raise the most food and funds.

Team leaders got creative and used miniature

golf tournaments, karaoke contests, bake sales and

even fashion shows to help raise money for hungry

oklahomans. Their generosity was astounding –

employees contributed a record-total of $294,000! Devon

then matched employee donations for an incredible

combined gift of $588,000 to feed hungry oklahomans.

Not only did Devon and its employees give their

financial resources, they gave time as well by participating

in the company’s second annual “Stuff the Truck” event

where each team “raced” each other to pack boxes of food.

This year, they filled 3,552 pantry boxes with canned food

donations from the Feeding Hope and Letter Carrier’s

Food Drive, which provided nearly 110,000 meals to

hungry oklahomans!

Christina Rehkop, supervisor of Community Affairs at

Devon, says her colleagues are even more passionate about

giving back to feed those in need after seeing the success of

last year’s food and fund drive event.

“I think employees really embraced the food drive, and

it’s something everyone can get involved in and give back,” she

says. “It just continues to grow every year.”

We are so very grateful to Christina and her

colleagues at Devon Energy for their tireless dedication

during the week-long event and their continued

partnership to fight hunger here in central and western

oklahoma. Thank you, Devon Energy!

You’re invited to enroll in the Regional Food Bank’s free Personal Estate Planning Course! This home-study course is designed to help you achieve a smart, effective legacy plan that meets your financial and charitable giving goals. Through a will, trust or bequest, you have the opportunity to define your values and make an impact on a cause that is important to you. To enroll in the Personal Estate Planning Course or for more information, contact Gayle Jones at (405) 604-7111 or gjones@regionalfoodbank.org. You can also visit our estate planning page on the web at www.regionalfoodbank.org. Simply follow the link to “Take Action/Financial Planning” for abundant planning resources.

Devon Energy fights Hunger in Oklahoma

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Devon employees and family members volunteer at the NALC food drive drop-off site in Midwest City.

pLan For The FuTure WiTh The regionaL FooD Bank

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“Fig

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Amber is a single mom who’s doing her very best to care for her family. She and her children now live with her mother to help make ends meet. Altogether, there are 10 people under one small roof.

Amber loves her children more than anything. But lately it’s been nearly impossible for her to provide for them like she wishes she could. With so many mouths to feed, it’s all Amber can do to keep enough food in the house for everyone.

That’s why she’s so grateful that her two oldest children can participate in the Regional Food Bank’s Food for Kids program at their school, Prairie Queen Elementary School in oklahoma City. Amber says it’s a huge relief to know her kids can bring home backpacks full of healthy, kid-friendly food each Friday – which they always share with their siblings.

“The end of the month is always hard,” she says. “This helps a lot!”

Kathren Stehno, who helps distribute the Food for Kids backpacks each Friday, says the program has made a huge difference in the lives of the students at Prairie Queen Elementary. Last school year 20 children – all of whom participated in the school’s free or reduced-price meal program – took home backpacks full of food each weekend.

“They come to me and ask, ‘Are we going to get a backpack this week?’” says Kathren. “For some of our students, [this food] is critical.”

She adds that since many of these students come from families with parents who struggle to provide for their basic needs, the Food for Kids program

teaches them how to be responsible, because they have to remember to bring their backpacks back to school each Monday. It also helps them to trust others because they have this food to count on each Friday.

“Even though part of their life is unstable, this backpack is a stable thing for them,” says Kathren. “It brings them a sense of responsibility.”

It’s your gifts to the Regional Food Bank that enable schools like Prairie Queen Elementary to provide chronically hungry children with backpacks of nutritious food each weekend through Food for Kids. Thanks to you, these children will be able to stay full and focused so they can succeed in the classroom this year.

“I just want to thank you so much for your support!” says Kathren. “It makes me feel so good to provide academically and physically for the students – and you’re helping us do that.”

Children are full and focused Thanks to You

The mission of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is to help the charitable community effectively feed people in need.

The Link is published quarterly by the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, a member of Feeding America.

Send your comments to Angie Gaines, Marketing Manager, at againes@regionalfoodbank.org.

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www.regionalfoodbank.org

3355 S PurdueOklahoma City, OK 73137-0968

(405) 972-1111

This newsletter was made possible in part through the generosity of

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