Blessings Just in Time

The Oklahoma City Indian Clinic was abuzz with excitement on a mild winter day. Normally, patients visit this clinic for a regular doctor’s visit, to get their teeth cleaned or their eyes checked. But this day, visitors were getting something extra special – food and household essentials like hygiene items and cleaning products. 

Feed the Children pulled up with a semitruck loaded with enough items for 400 families. Angie Reeves, Communications and Events Director at the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic, said Feed the Children’s Resource Rally couldn’t have come at a better time: 

“A lot of our patients are considered the working poor, so they work really hard for their families. But still, at the end of the month, they come up a little short and end up hungry.” 

As volunteers unloaded the boxes and stacked them, parents lined up – including Scarlett, a single mom. She’s expecting her third daughter in a few weeks. 

“Finances are hard right now,” she admitted. “As a parent, you just don’t like the feeling of not being able to have enough food for your family.”  

Micah, a mom with two kids, was also in line. She had been unemployed for a while, and her job search wasn’t going well. Today’s food distribution was a bright spot. 

“Honestly, I don’t sleep at night. But this will help me. This will help me feel comfortable enough to sleep next to my children and not have to worry.” 

Pretty soon, volunteers were ready to start passing out a 25-pound food box and a 15-pound box of essentials. As Scarlett and Micah received their boxes, they were even more relieved. 

“The food and housing necessities like toilet paper, cleaning supplies, that kind of stuff is really what’s important right now for my family,” said Scarlett. 

“This Resource Rally actually helps my family a lot more than most people would like to admit,” said Micah.  

Angie from the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic knows that the food is a critical resource for her patients, but the extra essentials box is important too. 

“Receiving these hygiene products is extremely important. A lot of times hygiene goes second to food, so having toiletries may not be the most important thing on your list. And this just gives them an opportunity to take better care of themselves,” she explained. 

As the line moved and more and more boxes were passed out, Scarlett wanted to send her thanks to people like you. 

“This is a really big blessing for a lot of people, so I’m just really grateful.” 

Micah didn’t know what was in store for her as she headed to the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic, but it put a smile on her face. 

“Receiving these boxes today just helps me without having to stress or worry this month now,” she said. “I would like to say to people that donate and support Feed the Children that this is a really, really generous thing to do. I’m really appreciative. This is a big, big, generous offering from everyone to us. So, I thank you.”