Oklahoma Commission for Human Services Recognizes 35 Staff and County Offices for Hurricane Relief Efforts

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OKLAHOMA CAPITOL -- The 35 Oklahoma Department of Human Services staff members who served in the Gulf Coast after hurricanes devastated the region each received a $150 stipend and recognition from the Oklahoma Commission for Human Services at its Dec. 6 meeting.
OHSC Chairman Richard DeVaughn and OKDHS Director Howard H. Hendrick presented each employee with a check, from employee recognition committee funds, and a certificate of appreciation.

“We committed whatever resources we had to helping our Gulf Coast neighbors,” said Hendrick. “Our staff stepped up to help where the help was needed, and I am proud of each and every one of them. They took a little of the ‘Oklahoma Heartland Spirit’ south because we believe it was the right thing to do.”

OKDHS received an Emergency Management Assistance request for staff from the state of Louisiana and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Services Administration after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast in August. The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management, which is part of the state and federal emergency management system that guides and tracks the mobilization and deployment of emergency and disaster assistance between government agencies and other support providers, coordinated the emergency management request.

The request was filled and the first team of OKDHS social services specialists left Oklahoma less than 36 hours later. The team helped process disaster food stamp applications at a rate of more than 1,300 per day. Team members generally worked 14-hour days. Just three weeks later, the second team of social services specialists headed south after Hurricane Rita hit.

“We went to Louisiana to help and serve those who lost so much from Hurricane Katrina, but we are so full – just so full,” said Karen Gray, social services supervisor, Pontotoc County, who served as a team leader in Louisiana. “We were real social workers, meeting physical and emotional needs that touched us with every person we talked to.”

Employees recognized were:

Caddo County -- Robyn Smith and Brenda A. Williams

Carter County -- Kendra Dawkins and Kimberly Honeycutt

Cherokee County -- Bonnie Walker

Cleveland County -- Ryan Bates, Steven Brewer and Susan Smith

Custer County -- Lorie Rivera and Charity Kohout

Delaware County -- Karen Allen and Pat Freeman

Hughes County -- Hilda Wyatt

Jackson County -- Kay Perryman

Kay County -- John Hunt

Latimer County -- Mona Thomason

Logan County -- Linda Hoffman

Marshall County -- Julie Riggle

McCurtain County -- Diana Miller

Nowata County -- Danny White

Okfuskee County -- Austin Lewton

Ottawa County -- Nancy Adams

Payne County -- Teresa Hendricks and Kathy Legrand

Pontotoc County -- Karen F. Gray and Janie West

Pottowatomie County -- Barbara Core, Joe Dolin, Sherry Roberts and Mike Wester

Seminole County -- Diane Chesser and Jerilyn Goodier

Sequoyah County -- Pat Sikes

Stephens County -- Jana Rannberg and Shawna Smith

The Commission and Hendrick also recognized 24 county offices that supported relief efforts. Each county director received a framed certificate to display in the county office.

Counties recognized were:

Caddo

Carter

Cherokee

Cleveland

Custer

Delaware

Hughes

Jackson

Kay

Latimer

Logan

Marshall

Mayes

McCurtain

Murray

Muskogee

Nowata

Okfuskee

Ottawa

Payne

Pontotoc

Pottawatomie

Seminole

Sequoyah and

Stephens

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