The Choctaw Nation through a USDA grant program has been providing summer meals to children this summer.
The program began the second week of May and continues through Aug. 6.
Shelly Rector, senior director of USDA food and nutrition programs for Choctaw Nation, said the Summer Food Service Program provides food to children at 13 sites in 10 and a half counties.
In Bryan County, the food is given out every Tuesday from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Choctaw Nation Community Center, 2746 Big Lots Blvd. in Durant.
“This program provides food for all children ages 1-18 regardless of their tribal membership status and we just provide shelf-stable meals to help with the food security issues that we have across the Nation,” Rector said. “They can come to any of the locations that we serve at. We serve Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at various locations, but on Tuesdays here in Durant, participants can drive through and we ask if they are a parent or caregivers and if they are, they can pick up food for the children that’s in their household.”
Five breakfasts, fives lunches, five snacks and 10 containers of milk are provided weekly.
“They’re getting shelf-stable lunches, beef jerky, peanut butter and jelly, things that kids can actually grab and eat themselves and not have to have a parent turn on a stove or turn on a microwave,” Rector said. “We give white milk with the breakfast and chocolate milk with the lunches.”
Rector said the program has been in operation since 2019 and that it has different volunteers every week.
“Southeastern is here, First United’s here and the Durant Rotary Club’s been here,” Rector said. “Some of them were actually Choctaw Nation employees, Wellness Center and Choctaw Nation health employees. All of the volunteers is what makes this program be able to distribute the food out to the children.”
Rector said that last year, 310,000 were served at all sites and so far this year, 500,000 have been served from May through June.
“There is a food security issue in southeastern Oklahoma,” Rector said. “They’re coming from all over. This is very beneficial for our community.”
Choctaw District 9 Tribal Council Member James Dry praised the program.
“I would just like to say what a great community we live in,” Dry said. “Everyone always comes together in Durant to volunteer and help one another.”
Shelly Rector, right, senior director of USDA food and nutrition programs for Choctaw Nation, helps with the summer food program for children.
