ADA, Okla. – Feed the Children and the Chickasaw Nation partnered again this year to bring holiday care packages to hundreds of Pontotoc County families Dec. 10 during a Holiday Resource Rally.
The holiday care packages were distributed to an estimated 800 Ada-area families during a drive thru event conducted at the Pontotoc County Agri-Plex.
The packages provided families with food and essentials, including a 25-pound box of food filled with canned vegetables, soup, pasta, cereal and peanut butter.
Families also received a 15-pound box of personal care items, as well as children’s books, toys and other products.
This is the 10th year the Chickasaw Nation and Feed the Children have partnered to provide resources to families across Oklahoma during the holiday season through the event.
“The Chickasaw Nation’s collaboration with Feed the Children helps carry out our mission, to enhance the overall quality of life of the Chickasaw people, and extend that mission to our neighbors,” Joy Standridge, Chickasaw Nation Director of Child Nutrition, said. “A Holiday Resource Rally is one of the ways the Chickasaw Nation can bless families in this area.”
In the past decade, the holiday event took place in Ardmore, Kingston, Madill, Marietta, Newcastle, Pauls Valley, Sulphur and Tishomingo.
The first event was conducted in Ada in 2015 and returned to Ada a decade later.
“We hope offering these gifts to our Chickasaw families and neighbors will brighten their holiday season, and we are pleased to once again work with Feed the Children to help serve Oklahoma families,” Standridge said.
Oklahoma is among the states with the highest levels of food insecurity in the nation, based on recent U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports. With 16% of Ada residents living below the poverty line (according to the U.S. Census Bureau), the high cost of food, transportation, housing and energy are stretching budgets of individuals, making it more challenging to put food on the table.
With 1 in 5 children in the U.S. experiencing food insecurity, hunger remains a significant issue. Together with support from partners and the public, Feed the Children aims to provide 10 million meals across the nation during the holiday season.
The Pontotoc County event was one of several events conducted nationwide by Feed the Children in November and December. The Holiday Resource Rally events aim to supply food and essentials to children and families during the holidays, as well as bring awareness to the important issue of childhood hunger.
“The holidays can be especially difficult for families struggling to put food on the table, and far too many children are going without the food and hygiene essentials they need to thrive this time of year,” said Emily Callahan, president and CEO of Feed the Children. “We deeply value our powerful, decade-long partnership with the Chickasaw Nation, which has allowed us to support more Chickasaw families and our Oklahoma family and neighbors— making a greater impact together. This holiday, our collaboration is a step closer to realizing our vision of a world where no child goes to bed hungry.”
During the Pontotoc County event, more than 50 volunteers and staff donned Santa hats and worked to unload the large Feed the Children tractor trailer, greet participants, load packages and direct vehicles. Most of the volunteers are Chickasaw Nation employees who volunteer at the event each year.
Jason Trimmer, Unconquered Life health coach, and about 10 of his team members served at the event, some for the third consecutive year.
“What we do at our work is serve our community and people and try to better their lives. That is what this event is all about,” Trimmer said. “We love to come out here and be a part of something bigger than ourselves. You get a lot of fulfillment.”
Bryan Billey, Chickasaw Nation Re-Entry Worksite Manager, and his team have served at every holiday resource event, as well as about two dozen Farmers to Families food distribution events. “It is what we do. Our program helps assist everyone. Our team enjoys serving at this event. It is meaningful and we are happy to help,” Billey said.
This year, about 25 members of the Chickasaw Nation Re- Entry Transitional Employment team assisted with the Ada event, arriving early to unload the Feed the Children tractor trailer and stack each pallet of boxes. The group was in constant movement throughout the day, replenishing supplies until everything was distributed.
For more information about nutrition programs and services the Chickasaw Nation offers its citizens and community members, contact Chickasaw Nation Nutrition Services at (580) 436-7255 or visit Chickasaw.net.
About Feed the Children
One of the nation’s leading anti-hunger organizations, Feed the Children was established in 1979. It is headquartered in Oklahoma City.
According to its website, Feed the Children is a global movement committed to ending childhood hunger. The organization believes that no child should go to bed hungry, and so it provides children and families in the U.S. and around the world with the food and essentials children need to grow and thrive.
Through its programs and partnerships, the organization feeds children today while helping their families and communities build resilient futures. In addition to food, Feed the Children distributes household and personal care items across the United States to help parents and caregivers maintain stable, food secure households. Internationally, it expands access to nutritious meals, safe water, improved hygiene and training in sustainable living. As responsible stewards of its resources, Feed the Children is driven to pursue innovative, holistic and child focused solutions to the complex challenges of hunger, food insecurity and poverty. For children everywhere, the organization believes having enough to eat is a fundamental right. For more information, visit FeedtheChildren.org.