As the end-of-year celebrations grow closer, this is a good time to remember that poverty isn’t a fringe issue in Oklahoma — it’s daily life for too many of our neighbors. The latest Census data show our state ranks as the eighth poorest in the nation . For our children, nearly 1 in 5 grows up in households at or below the poverty line .

These numbers are stark, but they fail to show what this reality feels like. It’s a mother in McAlester counting change in a grocery line, debating between milk and cereal. It’s the teacher in Cushing keeping extra granola bars because her students are hungry by midmorning. It’s the father in Enid with two jobs who still can’t pay rent, worrying about his kids’ future if he can’t keep the lights on.

The hidden costs touch everyone. When peopl

See Full Page