Federal budget cuts hit Oklahoma food banks; other agencies concerned

Federal spending cuts have local food banks and senior assistance agencies nervous for what's to come, two organizations shared with News 9 on Friday. 

With Oklahoma being one of the hungriest states in the nation, federal cuts to food assistance programs could have a significant impact on hungry Oklahomans, according to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. 

“Even a little tiny cut would mean we would need to find a whole bunch of food another way,” said Chief Executive Officer at Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma Stacy Dykstra, PH.D. 

For now, “they wouldn’t see a big difference in what they’re getting when they come in at this point because we’re right at the beginning,” Dykstra continued. 

However, the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma said it is already seeing a lower supply of food contributed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture compared to this time last year. 

“So, in February and March, they were lower. They were about half of what we received the year before during that time,” Dykstra explained. 

The federal cuts could have a domino effect on other organizations, including Meals on Wheels, she elaborated. 

“We work in tandem to meet all the needs in all the different ways they need to be met.” 

At the Areawide Aging Agency in Oklahoma, "Food is the largest piece that we do and it's an area where seniors have a lot of insecurity,” said CEO Blair Schoeb. 

“We operate 25 different congregate meal sites in the metropolitan area, and on any given day, there'll be 2,000 people who will be at one of those sites getting a nice, hot lunch,” he shared. 

Another thousand get the meals, which are designed with the dietary needs of seniors in mind, delivered to their doorstep, the agency explained. 

Areawide Aging Agency in Oklahoma expressed concern about future cuts impacting its efforts. 

“What is happening at the food bank, where the shelves are already empty, could be happening metaphorically everywhere else and in not too distant a future. They're just the first ones up,” Schoeb suggested. 

Both organizations said the best thing that people can do is to call their legislators and advocate for those in need. 

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