Lawton food bank faces changes due to federal cuts

The Lawton food bank may see changes to its ability to feed local families due to the cancellation of the Local Food purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) due to Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cuts in the federal government.

Last year, the Lawton Food Bank served 15,838 families, with an average weight of 87 pounds of food per household, for a total 1.37 million pounds of food given to those in need in the Lawton area, according to Food Bank Executive Director Ellen “Mac” Lechel. Roughly one third of what the Lawton Food Bank gave was purchased through the LFPA program.

“Food is the bottom of the pyramid, your baseline, your foundation … food is the foundation of any person’s day and health,” said Lechel.

The LFPA will continue through the end of the fiscal year, ending June 30. The program helps the Lawton Food Bank obtain fresh food at a much lower cost than what can be purchased through a grocery store.

“The program makes up a good portion of what we give away to our clients. It will have a huge impact on how we serve in the future once this program is gone,” said Lechel.

Lechel said she was devastated to learn that the LFPA program is due for cancellation. She worries that Lawton specifically will be particularly affected due to the high volume of clients they serve.

“This does so much good, not just for those that receive the food but for those that grow it. I’m afraid to see what this will look like when LFPA is gone … there is the potential that the amount of food we’re able to give away will decrease. We would like to serve the same amount of food, but we’ll have to try to do that with fewer resources.”

The Lawton Food Bank is always seeking volunteers, Lechel said.

Those interested can contact the Lawton Food Bank at 580-353-7994 or www.lawtonfoodbank.org.