This holiday season, money you donate to the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma could be matched by a $100,000 grant from the George Kaiser Family Foundation.
Last year a similar offer yielded a total of about $480,000 for the Food Bank.
“We were told that it would provide 1.9 million meals,” said Phil Lakin, who spoke on behalf of the Foundation at Wednesday’s announcement.
He says that while GKFF has multiple initiatives directed at breaking the cycle of poverty, the goal for this grant is to address immediate needs.
“The best we can do is all respond with dollars from our own bank accounts,” he said, “to make lives a little bit better during the holidays for these families who just don’t have anything to eat.”
He says that this year, the Foundation will match new donations, gifts from lapsed donors, and donations that increase from last year.
Drop Off Donations
The Fill the Firehouse City Food Drive returns this year as well. The Food Bank will have donation bins for nonperishable food at every Tulsa fire station this holiday season.
You’re encouraged to drop off some of the most needed items: peanut butter, soups, sauces, cereal, rice, pasta and canned meats.
Also at every Tulsa fire station will be the U.S. Marine Corp’s Toys for Tots bins. Drop off an unwrapped, unopened toy along with your food donation as part of that program.