By Meghan McCormick

Transcript Staff Writer

More than 500,000 people living in Oklahoma are at risk of going hungry. One out of five is a child, according to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.

Shelley Haley, spokesperson for Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, said four years ago, educators brought to the group’s attention that a number of elementary students have nothing to eat from Friday evening until they arrive at school Monday morning for breakfast.

Haley said the food bank decided to take the initiative and establish Food 4 Kids, a program that provides chronically hungry children with nutritious food.

“It started as a pilot program in five schools serving 180 children,” she said.

Haley explained how the program operates. Each week, food bank volunteers pack non-perishable items into boxes that are then distributed to elementary schools. Once the packages arrive at the school site, the school coordinator places the food into the backpacks for children to pickup every Friday. Students bring the backpacks back to school on Monday to be re-filled.

At the end of last school year, Food 4 Kids was in 182 schools in 29 counties in central and western Oklahoma.

“We provided backpacks to more than 5,600 elementary students,” she said.

Haley said the food distributed to children doesn’t require cooking or refrigeration. Students also are able to receive food packages to cover school holidays.

She said Food 4 Kids takes one stress away from children.

“The kids focus on learning rather than where their next meal is gong to come from,” she said.

She said all food items for Food 4 Kids are paid for by donations. A cost of $135 will provide a backpack for the entire school year.

In the Norman area, Food 4 Kids reaches children in Norman, Moore and Little Axe school districts, Haley said. Norman Public Schools has 12 elementary schools included in the program.

At the end of 2006-2007 school year, 342 children in Cleveland County received nutrition thanks to the Regional Food Bank, Haley said. About 30 schools are on a waiting list.