Abby CoppingerThat’s why the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma’s mission of providing meals for families is so important — especially around the holidays.
Essentials like canned goods, bread and turkey can make the holidays special for a family in need.
The food bank has a vital ally in the Oklahoma oil and natural gas industry — both the companies themselves and their employees.
In 2017, the industry provided more than 1,200 volunteers, which provided more than 4,200 hours of work. They also donated $1.6 million to help feed more than 136,000 Oklahomans each week.
Chesapeake Energy and Devon Energy alone provided nearly 600 volunteers and 2,000 hours.
These volunteers make an impact across the state, from Tulsa and Oklahoma City, to smaller communities like Kingfisher, Watonga, Geary, Weatherford, Lomega, El Reno and Hinton.
“We’re so grateful for the steadfast generosity of the Oklahoma oil and gas industry in helping us meet the needs of hundreds of thousands of people who struggle with hunger and food insecurity,” said Katie Fitzgerald, chief executive officer of the Regional Food Bank. “The thousands of volunteer hours, financial contributions and service on our boards represent the industry’s compassion and desire to help their fellow Oklahomans.”
As the holiday season ramps up and you become busier with family, gifts and travel, remember there are families in need all around you. How can you help this holiday season?
Visit www.RegionalFoodBank.org to find out how you can give back to communities across the state, and visit EnergyHQ.com to keep up with the latest on Oklahoma’s oil and natural gas industry.