A new federal program that would allocate $40 per child for summer food assistance has been denied by the Oklahoma government.

Children who receive free or reduced lunch during the school year would have been eligible for this program. Traditional summer feeding programs only reach about 1 in 6 eligible children, a gap the new initiative set out to fill. This would include outreach to rural communities, grocery assistance via EBT, and more in-person meal sites. 

The Governor’s office claims it is uncertain of how the program will be administered. The State Department of Education has a similar program they utilize. During the summer months, there are meal sites where children can receive one free meal a day. However, there are no allowance benefits for families to obtain groceries independently. 

Two tribal nations in Oklahoma have accepted the new federal program. The Chickasaw and Cherokee nations will offer summer food assistance to eligible students on their reservations.

Food Insecurity: Gov. Denies Summer Food Program

One in five Oklahoma children faces food insecurity. Nearly half of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients are families with children. The state ranks 10th for most food insecure in the nation. Despite efforts like SNAP, WIC (Women, Infants, and Children), and regional food banks, the state’s ranking has yet to improve. Communities have created food banks and public pantries to compensate where state action is lacking. 

Children who face hunger are at greater risk for illness and developmental setbacks. It can result in chronic illnesses like asthma and anemia and behavioral issues like anxiety and aggression.

There are two large-scale regional food bank operations in the state. The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma serves Oklahoma City and The Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma operates out of Tulsa. These are the most populated areas of the state, but accessibility is lacking for rural communities.

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Previous Attempts to Stabilize Food Security

The governor has pushed for cutting grocery taxes in the past two years. In his 2022 State of the State Address, he voiced his support for eliminating the statewide grocery tax. Later that year Senate Pro Tempore Greg Treat pushed legislation to end the grocery tax.

Oklahoma is one of 13 states that implement a grocery sales tax. Despite bipartisan support for cutting taxes on groceries, the legislature never agreed on a finalized version of the bill.