For the second year in a row, Governor Kevin Stitt has decided not to participate in a federal summer nutrition program in 2025.

He says the state has enough resources of its own to ensure children are fed, but food banks say federal money can make a difference in helping the children.

Governor Stitt says Oklahomans are looking to their own communities for answers, not the federal government, and believes existing food programs are more than up to the task.

Chris Bernard of Hunger Free Oklahoma says the program cost the state $5 million but received $50 million in federal funding in return.

He says Oklahoma is not good at making sure kids who receive free or reduced lunch have something to eat during the summer, and this federal money would help meet that need.

“You can see that families are struggling. Participation in the summer feeding programs has increased everywhere, both in areas where the program is running and in those that are not,” he said.

Oklahoma has also opted out this summer, but the Cherokee Nation and Chickasaw Nation have accepted the federal funds.

According to Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., the Cherokee Nation has invested nearly $1.4 million in the summer feeding program this year and received nearly $7.9 million in federal funds for low-income families.

The governor says he doesn’t want any Oklahoma child to go hungry, so he cut food taxes to keep more money in Oklahomans’ pockets.

He says Oklahoma families now save an average of about $800 a year on their grocery bills.

But Bernard says it is not right to leave money that could be used to feed children lying around.

“$50 million is not something you can say, oh, we don’t need that. This is an important part of the solution to a problem that presents challenges in education and health care. We have negative impacts everywhere because of food shortages,” he said.