Team Tinker busted through the 9,000-pound mark to help feed families and children in eastern Oklahoma County.
Tech. Sgt. Dwight Veon, with the 72nd Security Squadron and project officer for this year’s Tinker AFB Feds Feed Families drive, said donors gave a total of 9,372 pounds of food and other items in the campaign that ended Oct. 2.
The Air Force as a whole hauled in 311,683.38 pounds of donations delivered to social agencies, Sergeant Veon said. Air Force Materiel Command contributed 111,606.23 pounds of that total.
Tinker Air Force Base’s effort was “exceptional,” the sergeant said, putting Tinker in the top 10 of Air Force base donation leaders with a 10th place finish.
“Our biggest donations were through the commissary — about 75 percent,” Sergeant Veon said. “There was also a drive put on by the Airmen Leadership School and they had about 1,700 pounds.”
Mike Anderson, director of the Mid-Del Food Pantry that received the aid, expressed strong appreciation to all the military and civilian Tinker personnel who gave.
“It’s going to provide a lot of food for a lot of people,” Mr. Anderson said. “It’s going to keep us going through the winter, and will provide nutritious food, which is what we need. Our clients can find junk food anywhere, but good nutritious food helps them make good decisions and it keeps them fed. That’s what makes the difference.”
The pantry served more than 7,121 households and fed 17,256 people, including 8,500 children, in 2013. Mr. Anderson said those numbers have risen since then, especially with the downturn in oil patch jobs.
“Donations like this from Tinker go to feeding families and allows us to given them a good amount,” Mr. Anderson said.