DHS staff and private partners distributed Thanksgiving food baskets to needy Oklahoma families

​Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) staff conduct food drives statewide every year during the holiday season. Workers in all service areas are keenly aware of which families need help and often refer them to additional community resources. The DHS Office of Community and Faith Engagement (OCFE) works with county offices and community organizations to help fill gaps in public assistance. 

"Many low-income and working families receive services through DHS," said OCFE Administrator Karen Jacobs. "DHS just does not have the resources to provide Thanksgiving turkeys and other food items to every family that needs one – that's why our community partners are so important."

In addition to DHS staff, Oklahoma City community partners in this year's Thanksgiving food drive included Lawyers Fighting Hunger, Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, Diagnostic Labs of Oklahoma (DLO), Oklahoma University (OU) Outreach, Village-on-the-Park Senior Living, Paradigm Church, Oklahoma Public Employees Association (OPEA) and the Reggie Smith Foundation.

At the McIntyre Law Firm turkey giveaway on Nov. 17, organizers with Lawyers Fighting Hunger had to start two hours early in order to accommodate the crowds of people. "One lady was there the night before just so she could get a turkey for her family," said Jacobs. "What DHS and our community partners do really matters."

The goal of the food drive was to provide food baskets to families who receive assistance through DHS. Jacobs says donations of turkey, canned goods, fruit and boxed desserts far exceeded expectations. A local Walmart helped push DLO past its original goal with a generous donation of 213 turkeys.  

"The employees of DLO have partnered with DHS for many years to provide meals for families at Thanksgiving time," said Jim McKissick, Chief People Officer for DLO's Human Resource Department. "This event is entirely employee-driven. Our employees hold fundraising events at our facilities including bake sales, breakfasts, lunches, and craft sales. They have great fun and get the most joy when they see the mountain of food being loaded onto the trucks and headed out to feed hundreds of families who need and deserve a good meal during the Thanksgiving holiday season. Our employees understand how privileged we are and want to share with those who are less privileged."

Food insecurity is a daily challenge for many Oklahoma families, not just during the holidays. In 2015, more than 600,000 Oklahomans received food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP is 100 percent federally funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered through the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. The average benefit is $3.91 per person per day.

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