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Hunger in Oklahoma
Why is combating poverty one of our major initiatives? Because there's such a need! Consider these statistics provided by www.hungerinoklahoma.org:
- According to the USDA, Oklahoma ranks 8th in the nation in the number of people per capita who are hungry.
- The percentage of Oklahoma's population classified as food insecure (which means that the food intake of some household members is reduced and normal eating patterns disrupted because the household lacks money and other resources for food) is 13%, well above the national average of 11.3%.
- 1 in every 5 Oklahoma children lives in poverty and is at risk of going to bed hungry.
- Of the elderly who receive food through Oklahoma's Food Bank system, 32% report having to choose between buying food or paying for medicine or medical care.
- Of households experiencing hunger, less than 20% are classified as unemployed. More than 1/3 are disabled and/or retired, while the remaining 46% have at least one working member.