25% Increase Of Aid Requests Since Start Of Pandemic, Says Oklahoma Food Bank

The Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma said the number of people needing food for their families, keeps growing, especially in smaller towns.

Ted Littlefield drove to Tulsa from Nowata to pick up food and take it back to the Aim High food pantry.

“People are scared right now they’re going to run out of food," Littlefield said.

He and his wife opened the food pantry in the summer of 2019. He said he feels blessed to be able to provide food to around 200 families but said that number keeps rising.

“You can tell they’re nervous and they’re shaking and I’ll say is everything alright and they are like yes. I’m just 75, 80 years old and I’ve never had to ask for food in my life. You can tell they are scared," Littlefield said.

More than 300 food pantries in Eastern Oklahoma get their food from The Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. They said they've seen a 25% increase in need since the pandemic began. The food bank hasn't had as many food drives as before the pandemic but said the federal government has increased the amount of food they provide by 25%.

Littlefield said he just wants to make sure no one goes hungry.

“This is what God called us to do. We’re supposed to help our neighbors out and Oklahomans need to help Oklahomans to get through this," Littlefield said.