An initiative to increase the amount of fresh produce available to the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma and its network of 350 partner agencies serving rural areas in eastern Oklahoma received a boost today with the announcement of a five-year, $375,000 grant from the American Electric Power Foundation.
The AEP Foundation is the charitable arm of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), the parent company of Public Service Company of Oklahoma.
In announcing the grant, PSO President and Chief Operating Officer, Peggy Simmons, noted that food insecurity continues to be issue in many areas of eastern Oklahoma.
“Of particular concern is the number of rural Oklahomans for whom healthy food, like fresh produce, is not available,” said Simmons. “Our AEP Foundation grant will help alleviate this situation so that more of our rural neighbors have a better chance to lead healthy lives.”
The grant will go to the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma’s Produce Project. The goal of the initiative is to increase the amount of fresh produce available to the Food Bank’s network of community feeding programs to better reach and serve those rural Oklahomans who lack fresh produce. Partner agencies include food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, feeding programs for children, senior feeding programs and veteran’s initiatives/programs.
“The Food Bank is most appreciative of our continued partnership with PSO and is incredibly thankful for this support from the AEP Foundation. The Food Bank continues to place a high emphasis on expanding access to nutritious foods and fresh produce, with particular attention to rural areas. Limited and uncertain access to food affects all aspects of people’s lives, jeopardizing their ability to learn and be productive,” says Lori Long, Chief Executive Officer of the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. “The Produce Project provides fresh food to rural areas which have the state’s highest food-insecurity rates and economic challenges. Distribution will occur within our 24-county service area, with an additional one million pounds of produce for rural communities projected. Increasing healthy food for our rural communities, will address basic hunger and should also improve health outcomes for our children, families, seniors and veterans to ensure a brighter future.”
About the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma
The mission of the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma is to feed the hungry through a network of Partner Agencies, and to engage its communities in ending hunger. Its vision is food security, with dignity, for all Eastern Oklahomans. It is the largest private hunger relief organization in eastern Oklahoma, serving 24 counties, with branches in Tulsa and McAlester.
About the AEP Foundation
The American Electric Power Foundation is funded by American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) and its utility operating units, including Public Service Company of Oklahoma. The Foundation provides a permanent, ongoing resource for charitable initiatives involving higher dollar values and multi-year commitments in the communities served by AEP and initiatives outside of AEP’s 11-state service area.
The Foundation focuses on improving lives through education from early childhood education through higher education in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math and by meeting basic needs for emergency shelter, affordable housing and the elimination of hunger. Other Foundation support may be offered to protect the environment, support healthcare and safety, and enrich life through art, music and cultural heritage.
The AEP Foundation is based in Columbus, Ohio.
About PSO
PSO, a unit of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), is an electric utility company serving more than 554,000 customer accounts in eastern and southwestern Oklahoma. Based in Tulsa, PSO has approximately 3,800 megawatts of generating capacity fueled primarily by natural gas, 22-thousand miles of distribution lines and 37-hundred miles of transmission lines. PSO also is one of the largest distributors of wind energy in the state. News releases and other information is at www.PSOklahoma.com. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @PSOklahoma.