Food Bank Of Eastern Oklahoma Holds Monthly Drive-Thru Distribution

The Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma helped hundreds of people on Thursday during its food drive.

They expect to see more people now that the benefits from the government during the pandemic have expired. Peaches Johnson stopped by the drive-thru to get food for herself and a friend who couldn’t make the trip. She’s thankful for the food and the volunteers who are helping.

"It's important to understand you and love you,” said Johnson. “Because when you love you, you love others. You can put yourself in their situation and say wow."

The volunteers say even in the cold and wind, it was important to be there for people who are in need.

"I think it's good that they know other people care, and that we want to come out and help,” said Lynn Carter. “And I think it's good for businesses and individuals to come out and support the community and to show everyone that we're all here for them and we want to support them in times of need."

The extra food benefits many Oklahomans got from the government during COVID expired last month, and some of those people now find themselves needing extra help.

"The increase of SNAP benefits with those emergency allotments, that took place at the start of COVID, it has been years that people have been receiving those increased amounts,” said Joy Ferrin, the V.P. of Community Engagement for the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. “You get used to budgeting at that amount, and so when those are taken away, it's suddenly a drop-off."

Ferrin says the Food Bank has been getting ready to handle the expected increase of people needing some food help.

"We are preparing for increased numbers of people who are seeking assistance,” said Ferrin. “The partner agency network that we have is available, we want to make sure people know where we go."

Johnson says the people involved with passing out the food made her feel loved.

"Love is a good thing,” said Johnson. “It's better to have loved than not to love at all. Because love is good. And so, that's what they're doing. And so God bless them, and God bless the people that I'm going to drop these things off to."

The Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma holds this food giveaway on the third Thursday of every month.