Click Here to see the Canned Food Drive Displays!

(Oklahoma City) - Dec. 7, 2010 - Many organizations have caught the spirit of giving by collecting food and fund donations for the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma to help feed those in need this holiday season. 

"Oklahomans are very generous with giving back to help those in need," said Rodney Bivens, executive director of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.  "It is their kindness and support that allows us to continue fighting hunger in our state."

Organizations and businesses that are spreading the joy of giving this holiday season include:

• KMGL's Bedlam Food Fight, sponsored by Magic 104.1 KMGL, Kraft Foods, Homeland and Subway, raised record-setting food and funds for the nonprofit the week before the Bedlam game.  Listeners donated food and funds for their favorite team during a live broadcast of KMGL's morning show and shoppers donated food and funds through their local Homeland store.  OSU fans donated 114 pounds of food and $2,527 and OU fans took the lead by donating 126 pounds of food and $5,094. The real winners, of course, are the thousands of Oklahomans who will have food on their table as a result of the promotion.
• On November 24, the Oklahoma City Thunder held a food drive to benefit the Regional Food Bank, and thanks to a match from Homeland, collected 13,670 pounds of food and $836, which will provide 16,369 meals to those in need.  Graham Colton's Third Annual Thanksgiving Concert, which featured Sherree Chamberlin, Christopher Wray, Matt Stansberry and The City Lives, kicked off after the Thunder Game and raised nearly $400 for the nonprofit. 
• Devon Energy Corporation and Mustang Fuel Corporation are helping fight hunger by sponsoring and distributing Holiday Care and Share boxes full of non-perishable food items to families in rural Oklahoma communities. 
• Bob Moore dealerships held can sculpture contests at 18 locations around the metro.  The auto group collected more than 28,000 pounds of food, which will provide more than 210,000 meals to hungry Oklahomans.  This is the fifth year the group has held a food drive and they plan to collect even more donations next year.
• Wimgo - Wimgo donated up to 10 percent of all gross sales from the Wimgo Daily Deals throughout the month of November to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.
• During December, Chesapeake Energy is matching all donations, dollar for dollar, up to $100,000.

It's not too late to hold a food and fund drive to benefit the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma; the nonprofit needs donations more than ever at this time of year.  In fact, partner agencies are reporting an increase in need all across the state. 

"All our clients seem to share the same story this year," said one partner agency.  "They have less money and more expenses.  They are simply struggling to keep their heads above water."

Items most needed this holiday season include: canned meat, canned vegetables, canned fruits, canned tuna, peanut butter and rice and beans  Thanks to the Chesapeake Energy match, every dollar donated will provide 14 meals to those in need.

Established in 1980, the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is the largest private hunger-relief organization in the state of Oklahoma. In Fiscal Year 2010, the Regional Food Bank distributed nearly 36.5 million pounds of food and products through a network of more than 700 charitable feeding programs and elementary schools in 53 central and western Oklahoma counties. According to a recent study released by the USDA, Oklahoma is the fifth hungriest state in the country.

Make a tax-deductible donation to the Regional Food Bank by calling 405.972.1111, visiting regionalfoodbank.org, or texting CAN to 27722 to donate $10.  Message and data rates apply.  Connect online at Facebook.com/regionalfoodbank or twitter.com/rfbo.

Click Here to see the Canned Food Drive Displays!

The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is a private, 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that acts as a link through which the food industry and community may donate food and other goods. The products are then distributed to nearly 700 schools and charitable feeding programs in 53 central and western Oklahoma counties. In the last fiscal year, the Food Bank distributed 36.5 million pounds of food and product to help the charitable community effectively feed people in need. Since its inception in 1980, the Regional Food Bank has distributed more than 374 million pounds of food to feed Oklahoma's hungry.  Visit regionalfoodbank.org to see the real-time counter that tracks the pounds and meals distributed every second.