Photo By Tech. Sgt. Kasey Phipps | Oklahoma Air National Guardsmen from the 137th Special Operations Wing help to sort,...... read more read more
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OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt activated an additional 25 Oklahoma Air National Guardsmen from the 137th Special Operations Wing to help the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma keep up with the community impact of COVID-19 on April 21, 2020.
Between the effects of the pandemic and falling oil prices, the Regional Food Bank - which serves 53 of the 77 counties in the state of Oklahoma - is seeing an increase of as much as 60 percent in the need for food assistance, said the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma’s Director of Communications and Marketing Kathy Nestlen.
“We are so happy to welcome the Oklahoma Air National Guard to our facility, and we're so thankful to Gov. Stitt for activating [them] and making that happen,” said Nestlen. “This group is like a well-oiled machine, and just having 25 of them here has made such a difference in just these first few days. They are literally setting records for the number of emergency food boxes packed and the number of pallets that we're able to fill.”
As the fifth hungriest state in the nation, the Food Bank’s normal operations are heavily dependent on its 45,000 yearly volunteers, said Nestlen. However, COVID-19 changed the way the food bank operates, forcing the facility to close to everyone but essential staff.
“That really impacts us being able to get food out — not having those volunteers,” Nestlen continued. “So our staff [are doing] what the volunteers used to do.”
In filling that void, the Oklahoma Air National Guardsmen put together boxes, filled them with non-perishable food and bread, sealed and stacked the boxes on pallets, and then encased the boxes with plastic wrap for transport. Other guardsmen helped to gather drinks, juices and produce for distribution.
"Anytime there's an emergency of any magnitude — whether it be local or national — we are always just waiting to be called so that we can jump in there and help…” said Oklahoma Air National Guard Senior Master Sgt. Jonah McClung, a member of the 137th Special Operations Civil Engineering Squadron. “Whenever things happen, whenever something goes down, we want to be there to help in any way, shape or form that we can.”
The Oklahoma City Guardsmen, are one of two teams activated to help the food banks throughout the state. The other is comprised of 25 Oklahoma Air National Guardsmen from the 138th Fighter Wing in Tulsa. They are working at the Regional Food Bank for Eastern Oklahoma.
The Guardsmen only prepared the boxes, as opposed to making in-person deliveries. However, that did not stop them from seeing their impact.
“I think it's very rewarding to be able to build these boxes up and be able to send them out to each town around [the region],” said Airman 1st Class Ethan Rosebrook, 137th Special Operations Civil Engineering Squadron. “It's very rewarding for all of us here. While we might not be there physically passing them out, being here and making these boxes and seeing the difference in people … is very uplifting.”
That positivity was reflected in the way the group sang to the music streaming through the facility and worked as a seamless team to fill the much-needed boxes of food.
| Date Taken: | 04.24.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 04.28.2020 13:25 |
| Story ID: | 368655 |
| Location: | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, US |
| Web Views: | 67 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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