<a rel="attachment wp-att-1109" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/08/community-food-bank-of-eastern-oklahoma-packathon/dsc_0804/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1109" title="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/DSC_0804.jpg" alt="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" width="425" height="640" /></a>

I talk a lot about food here at TashaDoesTulsa.com - <a href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/category/restaurants/">where in town to find the best of it</a>, <a href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2009/11/shopping-ethically/">why you should shop for it locally</a> and even <a href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2009/03/because-i-know-yall-love-your/">a few ideas on how to prepare it</a>.

Something that's missing in a lot of today's conversations about food (and, in case you haven't been watching <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/">Food Network</a> or <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/pages/books/bestseller/">the New York Times Bestseller List</a>, you should know that we talk about food a lot) is that there's not a lot said about the fact that while we foodies munch on our arugula salads and pan-seared Atlantic sea bass, millions of our fellow citizens are forced to choose between paying the rent and a trip to the grocery store.

That food security can be a real problem in the richest, most powerful nation on earth confounds me. That food security can be a problem in a state considered to be one of the bread baskets of said nation (we grow a lot of food here in Oklahoma,  but we beat out 44 other states in wheat production) - now, that is really something.

<!--more-->Sadly, it gets worse.
<ul>
	<li>Oklahoma is one of the top 10 hungriest states in the nation. According to the USDA, we rank fourth in the nation in a category it calls "very low food security," or what used to be referred to as "food insecurity with hunger," and sixth in the U.S. in food insecurity.</li>
	<li>One in five Oklahoma children lives in poverty and is at risk of going to bed hungry. More than 40 percent of those seeking emergency food assistance in this area are children under 18.</li>
	<li>Nearly half of those using emergency food programs report having to choose between paying for food and paying for utilities. 45 percent of seniors report having to choose between paying for food and paying for medical care or medicine.</li>
</ul>
There are several organizations and groups in our state designed to ease the strain felt by these families. Today I want to talk about the <a href="http://www.cfbeo.org/">Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma</a>.

<a rel="attachment wp-att-1109" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/08/community-food-bank-of-eastern-oklahoma-packathon/dsc_0804/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1109" title="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/DSC_0804.jpg" alt="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" width="425" height="640" /></a>

The CFBEO is a private, non-profit organization that distributes food to 450 partner programs in 24 counties in Eastern Oklahoma, including soup kitchens, emergency food pantries and shelters, low-income after-school programs and senior citizen centers.

Together they help to feed 60,000 people per week. That's the equivalent of 800,000 meals per month, or more than 13 million pounds of food annually. It's the largest, private, hunger-relief organization in eastern Oklahoma.

<strong>Recently CFBEO received a $2 million grant to deliver food boxes to families</strong> that count on the free and reduced-cost meals their children receive during the school year but are faced with covering during the summer months. In layman's terms, <strong>that's enough cash to feed 58,000 in CFBEO's service area</strong>.

The boxes must be packed and distributed by Sept. 30. But <strong>without enough volunteers to package that food, the Food Bank could lose this grant</strong>.

Earlier this month my husband was looking for ways to volunteer during the weeks between his summer classes and the beginning of the fall semester.

Through the most efficient of grapevines that are Twitter and Facebook, I'd heard about this need. So I'll give you two guesses where I sent my husband to volunteer, but I think you'll only need one.

<a rel="attachment wp-att-1097" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/08/community-food-bank-of-eastern-oklahoma-packathon/dsc_0837/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1097" title="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/DSC_0837.jpg" alt="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" width="425" height="640" /></a>

The folks at CFBEO make it easy to get involved in this project. First, <a href="http://www.cfbeo.org/emergency.html">visit this page on their website for a list of available shifts</a>. Once you (and your friends - because it'd be totally cool if you brought your friends and/or co-workers with you) work out what's going to fit into your schedule, send <a href="mailto:jsanders@cfbeo.org">Stimulus Emergency Food Program Coordinator John Sanders</a> an e-mail. Or, call him at (918) 585-2800, ext. 145.

When you arrive at the Food Bank for your shift, simply sign in. You'll get a nifty volunteer badge, and you'll swiftly be put to work.

<a rel="attachment wp-att-1098" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/08/community-food-bank-of-eastern-oklahoma-packathon/dsc_0815/"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1098" title="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/DSC_0815-500x332.jpg" alt="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" width="500" height="332" /></a>

Here's how this whole box-packing thing is going to go down. These boxes are folded and stacked and made ready to be packed, as seen above. Let's call it the Box Readiness Program.

Either food or household items are packed into the boxes as they travel along an assembly line.

<a rel="attachment wp-att-1102" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/08/community-food-bank-of-eastern-oklahoma-packathon/dsc_0819/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1102" title="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/DSC_0819.jpg" alt="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" width="425" height="640" /></a>

<a rel="attachment wp-att-1100" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/08/community-food-bank-of-eastern-oklahoma-packathon/dsc_0834/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1100" title="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/DSC_0834.jpg" alt="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" width="425" height="640" /></a>

<a rel="attachment wp-att-1099" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/08/community-food-bank-of-eastern-oklahoma-packathon/dsc_0812/"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1099" title="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/DSC_0812-500x332.jpg" alt="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" width="500" height="332" /></a>

<a rel="attachment wp-att-1103" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/08/community-food-bank-of-eastern-oklahoma-packathon/dsc_0835-2/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1103" title="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/DSC_08351.jpg" alt="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" width="425" height="640" /></a>

<a rel="attachment wp-att-1104" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/08/community-food-bank-of-eastern-oklahoma-packathon/dsc_0824/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1104" title="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/DSC_0824.jpg" alt="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" width="425" height="640" /></a>

<a rel="attachment wp-att-1105" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/08/community-food-bank-of-eastern-oklahoma-packathon/dsc_0836/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1105" title="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/DSC_0836.jpg" alt="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" width="425" height="640" /></a>

Once the boxes make it to the end of the line packed and full, they're sealed and ready to go.

<a rel="attachment wp-att-1106" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/08/community-food-bank-of-eastern-oklahoma-packathon/dsc_0807/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1106" title="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/DSC_0807.jpg" alt="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" width="425" height="640" /></a>

<a rel="attachment wp-att-1107" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/08/community-food-bank-of-eastern-oklahoma-packathon/dsc_0841/"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1107" title="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/DSC_0841-500x332.jpg" alt="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" width="500" height="332" /></a>

Easy peasy, right? It's definitely something you could see yourself doing for a few hours, right? If you're still not sure, <a href="http://www.cfbeo.org/emergency.html">check out these training videos on the Food Bank site</a>. They'll tell you even more about what volunteers on a shift for this project could find themselves doing.

This project, dubbed the Emergency Packathon by the Food Bank peeps, is about 60 percent complete, up from just shy of being 20 percent complete at the beginning of last month. Your help is sure to put the Food Bank over the top on its goal of 100 percent complete by the Sept. 30 deadline.

<a rel="attachment wp-att-1108" href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/08/community-food-bank-of-eastern-oklahoma-packathon/dsc_0800-2/"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1108" title="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/DSC_08001-500x332.jpg" alt="Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma" width="500" height="332" /></a>

It's not as bad as it is in other parts of the country right now, but the unemployment rate in Oklahoma is still higher than it's been in years. So <strong>even if you can't donate your time to fulfill the requirements of this grant, <a href="http://www.cfbeo.org/dfunds.html">consider making a donation of non-perishable food items or cash to CFBEO</a></strong>. The slumping economy has more Tulsa families finding themselves in a spot in which they may have never imagined - having to visit the Food Bank to fill the gaps left by a lay off or prolonged job search.

Some of my favorite ways to support the Food Bank:
<ul>
	<li>Do <a href="http://www.cfbeo.org/rw.html">Restaurant Week</a> (the 2010 line-up has been posted, and I have just two words: Oh, yum.)</li>
	<li>Make your reservations for the next <a href="http://www.cfbeo.org/recipe.html">Recipe to End Hunger</a> event (A monthly cooking demo hosted by one of Tulsa's top chefs, along with a multi-course dinner and wine; <a href="http://www.cfbeo.org/recipe.html">the next one is Thursday, Aug. 26</a>)</li>
	<li>Check with your employer to see if they match your gifts to the Food Bank</li>
	<li>Hold a <a href="http://www.cfbeo.org/vfdmain.html">virtual food drive</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://www.gardenwriters.org/gwa.php?p=par/index.html">Plant a Row for the Hungry</a> (this is an easy way to get your kids in on volunteering, too)</li>
	<li>Choose <a href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/04/buy-local-feed-hungry-kids/">MIO Paper Towels</a> at your grocery store</li>
</ul>
See? There's a way for everyone, even punk college students like my husband and punk two-year-olds like my son and punk paper towel enthusiasts like me, to help. Pick a way, pick a row, pick a shift - however you decide to help, know that you're working to make Oklahoma the food-secure state it should be for our kids and families.