December 21, 2023 | Stacy Dystra, Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma

 

The Rotary Club of Chickasha met December 21, 2023. Rotarian Mitch Williams led the club in singing "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas". 

 

At the start of the meeting, President Jim Cowan presented Paul Harris Awards for members who could not attend the main ceremony at the Christmas Party. Wanda Powell received an honorary fellowship donated by Bill McVey. John Mosley received a multiple Paul Harris award.

 

 

As Rotarian of the Day, President-Elect Lewis Knisley introduced the speaker, Dr. Stacy Dystra. Dystra is the CEO of Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.

 

The Regional Food Bank's mission is "to lead a network that provides nutritious food and pathways to self-sufficiency for people facing hunger." Their vision is "an Oklahoma where no one goes hungry."

 

 

Dystra explained that food insecurity is extremely costly—the state loses $1.4 billion to health issues and lost education productivity caused by hunger. While government programs exist, a large number of those facing food insecurity do not qualify for them. Further, 1 in 5 children in Oklahoma face food security at home.

 

Through a variety of programs, the Regional Food Bank provides healthy food to people of all ages, but especially children. Their best-known program is their backpack program in elementary schools, but they also supply pantries in middle schools and high schools.

 

Dystra also underlined the fact that hunger does not occur in a vacuum. In order to truly fight food insecurity, it is important to connect those affected with resources that address the underlying causes; to provide help for the many other factors that may have forced them to go without.