As Thanksgiving approaches, Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) highlighted the unique innovations of Food On The Move and discussed other successful food and housing programs supported by PSO and the American Electric Power Foundation through the Feeding Communities initiative.
Food on the Move
“Thanksgiving is a time when we all pause to appreciate our good fortune and share it with others. We see the generosity of our customers constantly, and we salute that kindness. It reflects the best of our community,” said PSO President and Chief Operating Officer Leigh Anne Strahler. “The Feeding Communities initiative is our effort to be a part of that and make a difference every day.”
The American Electric Power (AEP) Feeding Communities initiative focuses on food and housing security across AEP’s 11-state footprint.
In 2023, the PSO’s Feeding Communities effort has included a wide variety of volunteer activities, $225,000 in AEP Foundation grants and another $51,100 in PSO donations to food and housing nonprofits. Those figures don’t include PSO programs to help customer manage energy costs, such as free weatherization for eligible homes and free LED bulbs distributed through food pantries.
On Tuesday, PSO employees volunteered in the latest Feeding Communities effort, helping out at a Community Food & Resource Festival hosted by Food On The Move.
Founded by musician Taylor Hanson, Food On The Move is dedicated to transforming food deserts and the legacy issues created by living without food security. PSO’s partnership with Food On The Move has included donation (in conjunction with EPRI) of a container garden, currently being used to grow produce year-round for the monthly Community Food & Resource Festivals, and an AEP Foundation grant of $100,000 for the nonprofit group’s Urban Farm, which will produce 180,000 pounds of fresh produce a year.
“We appreciate the dedication of PSO and the AEP Foundation to food and housing issues,” said Kevin Harper, President and CEO of Food On The Move. “Food On The Move is focused on ending food insecurity one community at a time, and partners such as PSO and AEP Foundation are the key to making that vision a success.”
All three PSO service districts have benefitted from PSO’s Feeding Communities efforts in 2023. For example, in southwest Oklahoma, AEP Foundation made a $25,000 grant to the Weatherford Food & Resource Center, and in southeastern Oklahoma, PSO supports the Hugo Sharing Hope food pantry.
PSO’s other volunteer efforts have including leading local and statewide initiatives addressing hunger and housing, building wheelchair ramps for disabled residents and participation in food drives in several PSO communities.