FOR THE CHILDREN From the desk of Joe Dorman
Irecently traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with members of our federal delegation regarding issues created by federal mandates placed upon states to reduce error rates in the social safety net. This “anti-hunger” gathering was organized by Hunger Free Oklahoma and included the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, the Eastern Oklahoma Food Bank, local providers of food support, and the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA). The “One Big Beautiful Bill” requires states to reduce paperwork errors to ensure Oklahomans fully qualify. This created backlogs in people calling help lines, confusion about what paperwork is needed, and growing frustration is causing many individuals to simply give up on services. Our trip showed the seriousness of the situation faced by hundreds of thousands of Oklahomans. I appreciate the members of the delegation who personally met with us and the dialogue we had with their staff members. I am also thankful that Oklahoma Human Services (DHS), our state agency overseeing this, takes this seriously. DHS is working with OICA to help share information to assist Oklahomans on how to navigate the challenges created by the federal law and regain support.
Latest numbers show 943,377 Oklahomans are 60 or older, or about 23% of the state’s population. By 2034, that population is projected to grow another 21.3%, and for the first time, adults 65 and older will outnumber children in the state.
