Hunger relief programs & initiatives provide free food and groceries

If you need free food or groceries, we’re here for you. If you want to help your neighbors, please support our mission to end hunger.
Communities throughout eastern Oklahoma face hunger. The Food Bank has developed programs to reach children and families, seniors, veterans, and members of underserved communities in our cities and rural areas. Please join us in improving access to healthy food and nourishing a bright future for all.

Our programs help end hunger in eastern Oklahoma

Food for Kids

One in 4 kids in Oklahoma struggles daily with hunger.

Senior Programs
Food insecurity is a major concern for people over the age of 60.
Veterans

Up to 25% of recent active-duty veterans struggle to put food on the table.

Food for Kids program

One in 5 Oklahoma children is at risk of going to bed hungry tonight. The Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma’s Food for Kids program addresses childhood hunger and ensures food-insecure children in our communities have a reliable resource for nutritious meals throughout the year.

Backpack for Kids

During the school year, 60% of kids in Oklahoma depend on free or reduced-price lunches including 75% of the students at Tulsa Public Schools.

The Backpack for Kids program helps ensure that elementary-aged kids don’t go to bed hungry by providing nutritious, kid-friendly snacks and easy-to-eat meals for students to take home on the weekends, over holiday breaks, and during the summer.

Contact your school to see if they participate in the Backpack for Kids program.

School and Campus Pantries

One in 4 students in Oklahoma struggles daily with hunger. Children who don’t get the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development are more likely to experience problems at school, repeat a grade, or drop out.

The School Pantries program provides middle and high schools with shelf-stable foods and nutritious prepared meals that students can take home to their families. Its sister program, Campus Pantries, provides take-home groceries to college students who experience food insecurity.

Mobile Market Distribution

Oklahomans consume fewer fruits and vegetables than the people of any other state. These distributions offer fresh produce and bakery items to low-income preschool students and their families. People can shop with dignity in a friendly atmosphere and pick up items at no cost.

Summer Feeding

During summer breaks, 1 in 5 children in eastern Oklahoma faces the possibility of going to bed hungry each night. ​The Summer Feeding program provides nutritious meals and healthy snacks to kids when school is not in session. Food is available through our mobile food truck and deliveries to accessible sites such as libraries, community centers, and apartment complexes.

Senior Programs

Food insecurity is a major concern for people above the age of 60 in Oklahoma. 1 in 10 Oklahoma seniors is food insecure. Below are descriptions of our two senior programs.

Commodities Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)
CSFP is a federal program that works to improve the health of low-income seniors by supplementing their diets with nutritious USDA commodity foods through a monthly food box.

Qualifying Seniors must be at least 60 years of age, an Oklahoma resident living in a partner’s service area, and must meet the federal income guidelines. To find a CSFP partner near you:

Senior Servings (SRSV)
Senior Servings is a Food Bank-funded program that seeks to provide seniors in need, that do not qualify for our CSFP program, with a monthly standard food box. The contents may vary from month to month, but seniors can expect to get one box a month. To find a site near you:

Veterans Outreach Initiative

Veterans put their lives on the line to serve our country. Unfortunately, 1 in 4 active-duty service members are food insecure and 1 in 6 military and veteran families are food insecure.

  • The 24 counties the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma serves is home to 110,000 military veterans, many of whom face hunger.
  • Veterans who are more likely to experience hunger, include female veterans, veterans with disabilities, and unemployed veterans.

The Food Bank is committed to ending hunger among our nation’s military veteran community. If you need assistance, please call 918-691-0830.

Neighborhood News

Hunger hides, but people go hungry every day. Find out how we’re serving neighbors in your community as we work together to end hunger in eastern Oklahoma.