Richmond, Va. –
The Feds Feed Families Campaign is an annual event that runs from June through August of each year for federal government organizations to collect food for local food banks.
This year, Defense Logistics Agency organizations at Oklahoma City took the campaign to next level with a "Food Fight Challenge” between DLA Aviation and DLA Distribution, both located on Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.
"We decided to make it a healthy competition between the two DLA organizations this year", said Air Force Col Ken Ruthardt, commander of DLA Aviation at Oklahoma City. “We placed Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma boxes throughout our work areas and all official weigh-ins were documented by the 72nd Air Base Wing.”
The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma feeds more than 116,000 hungry Oklahomans every week, of which 37 percent are children. According to the Food Bank, one in four children and one in six adults in Oklahoma struggle with hunger.
Other facts the Food Bank points out are Oklahoma remains in the top 10 states in the nation for food insecurity in seniors and 18 percent of food programs have had to turn away clients because they ran out of food, which made this challenge so much more than a "Food Fight" between DLA Aviation and DLA Distribution.
DLA Aviation and Distribution were able to support the fight against hunger in the local community and provide Oklahomans with a meal they may not have had otherwise.
The winner of our "Food Fight Challenge” was announced at the 2016 DLA (at Oklahoma City) Annual Employee Appreciation Picnic on Sep. 22, and a traveling trophy was given to the DLA organization that had the highest weigh-in. DLA Distribution’s donations weighed-in at 1,014 pounds and DLA Aviation's at 1,442 pounds.
DLA Aviation was declared the 2016 "Food Fight" champion. Ruthardt received the “Food Fight” traveling trophy along with bragging rights for an entire year. This was the first "Food Fight" between the two organizations, but definitely won't be the last. Both organizations plan to make this a yearly tradition to support Feds Feed Families.