Tackling childhood hunger in the metro

Imagine going to school, taking tests, and doing homework. Now imagine doing those tasks on an empty stomach. That is the harsh reality many children face daily. Not just nationally, but right here in the Oklahoma City metro.

"Of the 38,000 children who are in our food for kids programs each year and last year, 22,000 of those children were from the Oklahoma City metro," says Katie Fitzgerald, CEO of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.

The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma offers kids programs that feed thousands of Oklahoma children every year, like their backpacks for kids program. According to Fitzgerald, they go through 20,000 backpacks per year, costing at least $4 million. All of that money, the Food Bank is responsible for raising.

"We have seen an uptick in that the last couple of years and so it does concern us because we're not quite sure how we can keep pace with the growth of families with food insecurity," she said.

Food insecurity doesn't just leave children and families hungry, it can have detrimental effects both physically and mentally.

"Their physical development is compromised, their cognitive development is compromised, and really their emotional development is put in jeopardy with the anxiety of not knowing and feeling assured that you're going to have something to eat when you're hungry is a debilitating fear for some children," said Fitzgerald.

For students in Oklahoma City Public Schools, food insecurity is a very real problem. Kevin Ponce, is the director if Nutritional Services for the district, and tells FOX 25 more than 50% of students rely on the schools to provide their only meals of the day. Oklahoma City Public Schools will now offer breakfast, lunch and dinner because the need is so high. Dinner is offered to students who participate in after school activities. Ponce tells FOX 25 every student can eat at no cost, but not every family takes advantage of the program.

"Now in our district everyone eats at no cost. It shouldn't happen," he said.

The District will get reimbursed for the meals they provide students, but only about $3.00 per student. School officials are then forced to stretch that money as far as it can go.

"The going rate right now for reimbursement per child is $3.36. From that we have to pay for labor, we have to pay for food, we have to pay for equipment, we have to pay for all of that. All of that for one meal. So we have to be sure we are pretty smart with how we spend our money," said Ponce.

If you have a child that attends Oklahoma City Public Schools, and would like to take advantage of their free meals, you will need to contact your school's principal. As for the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, they need volunteers and monetary donations. For more information on how you can help visit https://www.regionalfoodbank.org/