OKLAHOMA CITY – The Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) board of directors recently approved funding for seven grants to address food insecurity and increase Oklahomans’ access to healthy and nutritious food.
The board allocated $1 million to support projects that enhance food access and distribution systems in Oklahoma and other programs that will increase access to nutritious foods. The grants will be funded for one year.
Hunger Free Oklahoma will receive the largest allocation, $408,505, to expand the Double Up Oklahoma (DUO) program in up to 11 grocery stores in nine counties in rural Oklahoma, including Kiowa and Jackson. The Double Up produce voucher system is already in use at more than 12 farmers markets across the state.
The program provides vouchers to Oklahomans using the Supplemental Nutritional Assistant Program (SNAP) and will help these SNAP participants buy even more fruits and vegetables. For every dollar spent on fruits and vegetables, participants earn vouchers that can be used to buy more produce.
Among the other grants was $96,544 to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, in Oklahoma City.
“These grants not only provide immediate relief to increased need for food during the COVID pandemic, they also support innovative partnerships that seek increase the availability of healthy foods,” said TSET Executive Director Julie Bisbee.
“Oklahoma continues to lag behind most states in the number of residents who are getting enough fruits and vegetables. Increasing availability and engaging communities in that effort is key to supporting health in our state.”
Food insecurity, already a problem in Oklahoma, has worsened since the coronavirus pandemic began. According to Feeding America, one in seven people and one of every five children in Oklahoma struggle with hunger.
“Good nutrition is vital to good health,” said Bruce Benjamin, chairman of the TSET board. “Food insecurity has been linked to poor health outcomes, especially for children and seniors. Access to healthy food is essential to managing conditions like diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure and avoiding complications from COVID-19.”