FEW MINUTES. NOW, A KOCO FIVE EDITORIAL HERE IS PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER BRENT HENSLEY. FOR YEARS, KOCO HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON THE ISSUE OF FOOD INSECURITY. WITH YOUR HELP, WE’VE RAISED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WITH THE REGIONAL FOOD BANK OF OKLAHOMA AND CHERISH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM. SO WHEN THEY AND OTHER GROUPS TELL US THEY NEED HELP, WE TRUST THEM. AND THAT’S WHY WE’RE DISAPPOINTED WITH GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT. S DECISION TO OPT OUT OF A FEDERAL PROGRAM THAT WOULD HAVE HELPED FAMILIES ACROSS OUR STATE FILL THE FOOD GAPS. NEXT SUMMER. FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, GOVERNOR STITT CHOSE NOT TO APPLY FOR SON BUCKS. THAT PROGRAM GIVES ELIGIBLE FAMILIES $40 PER CHILD PER MONTH FOR THE THREE MONTHS OF THE SUMMER BREAK. THROUGH A SPOKESPERSON, THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE TOLD US THE STATE WAS FULLY CAPABLE OF SERVING CHILDREN AND STUDENTS WITHOUT A FEDERAL PROGRAM THAT HAD FLOUNDERED IN OTHER STATES. HE WENT ON TO SAY THE GROCERY TAX CUT WOULD DO MORE FOR OKLAHOMA FAMILIES AND THE BIDEN HARRIS HANDOUT ISN’T SOLVING HUNGER IN 2025. THAT PART IS TRUE. THE PROGRAM WON’T SOLVE CHILDHOOD HUNGER, BUT THE OKLAHOMANS WORKING SO HARD EVERY DAY TO SOLVE CHILD HUNGER. TELL US THEY NEED HELP. THE REGIONAL FOOD BANK TOLD US IT TAKES A COLLECTIVE COMMITMENT AND RESOURCES TO GUARANTEE CHILDREN ARE WELL NOURISHED. THE GOVERNOR HIGHLIGHTED THE VERY PROGRAMS AS THE SOLUTION, BUT THEY TELL US THEY’RE DISAPPOINTED IN HIS DECISION AND NEEDED HELP AND WE BELIEVE IT WAS A MISSED OPPORTUNITY TO HELP THOSE IN NEED. IF YOU’D LIKE TO HELP THE REGIONAL FOOD BANK AND FAMILIES ACROSS THE STATE, WE URGE YOU TO GIVE TO OUR FOOD FOR KIDS CAMPAIGN THROUGH THE END OF AUGUST. YOU CAN TEXT KIDS TO 501 501 TO GIVE AN AUTOMATIC $10 DONATION. THE FIRST $315,000 IN DONATIONS WILL BE MATCHED BY THE MASONIC CHARITY FOUNDATION AND OTHER GENEROUS DONORS. FAMILIES IN OKLAHOMA NEED OUR HELP. I’D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU. EMAIL ME AT EDITORIALS AT KOCO DOT COM. TH