A belated introduction
Hello Hunger Advocate! I realized that I did not properly introduce myself and I wanted to provide a belated introduction. In August, I was hired to lead advocacy and public policy for the Oklahoma Food Banks after Effie Craven joined Feeding America offices in Washington DC.
My first two jobs after college really shaped my work in nonprofit and politics. My first job was as an intern for my hometown Texas Congressman. I learned how government works, that constituent calls matter and that policy shapes our lives both directly and indirectly. My second job was as an Americorps Vista working at a daytime homeless shelter trying to understand the root causes of poverty.
After many years in the nonprofit sector and two separate stints at the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, I find myself doing what I set out to do. I am educating our community on how we meet the immediate needs of someone who is living with hunger and on how we can help shape policy to ensure everyone has an opportunity to reach their dreams.
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter to learn more about how you can advocate for one in six Oklahomans who live with hunger. We need your help because this job is too big for the Oklahoma Food Banks to tackle alone. Please feel free to reach out to me with questions, comments or ideas.
What happened to the Farm Bill?
Congress failed to reauthorize the Farm Bill by Sept. 30. An agreement between the House and the Senate is unlikely to come before the midterm elections on Nov. 6. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will continue during the election hiatus because it has a permanent authorization.
 Sen. Lankford visits Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma
Sen. Lankford and his wife took a tour of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, met with CEO Katie Fitzgerald and volunteered to help pack food bags for the Backpack Program.
Mark Your Calendar:
- Early voting begins on Nov. 1 and 2nd from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Nov. 3 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can vote at your county election board.
- Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 6. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Find your polling location and sample ballot through Oklahoma State Election Board's online voter tool.
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