A few days ago I mentioned that Oklahoma was holding somewhat steady in the face of the economic downturn, with several indicators worsening but not horrible. I meant to write that it felt like being in the calm before the storm, to make it clear that I wasn’t arguing that Oklahoma would escape the recession.
So just to further reinforce the point:
The highest number of people receiving food stamps in one month came in December 2005 with 443,045 people. Last month, 442,299 Oklahomans were given food stamps.
“That is the second-highest total in history,” Johnson said. “They are approaching the record. If things continue in the economy the way they are going, more than likely, that record will be broken.” (Tulsa World)
So food stamps receipt is about to break records (although this isn’t adjusted for population growth). The economic challenges are real, even in Tulsa.
The article, published Sunday, is about a Tulsa woman who lost her job just as she was beginning to get her financial affairs in order, including taking advantage of CAP’s financial services offerings.
At Tulsa Initiative, we’ve been thinking about ways we can help move families into economic self-sufficiency, even through the financial crises people face along the way. The challenge for all of us in the social service sector in Tulsa is how to keep making progress through these difficult times.
