Taylor Hanson talks about Food on the Move's impact to the Tulsa community during its first year of donations. Ian Maule/Tulsa World
A long line of cars snaked through the parking lot and into the street late Tuesday afternoon as hundreds of people waited for free groceries. And the Rev. Robert Turner pointed at the lamp posts, not yet lit for the evening.
“It’s when darkness hits that the streetlights come on,” he said. “I’m thankful that God has placed several streetlights here in Tulsa.”
The real streetlights, of course, were the volunteers and donors and workers who were sorting produce, packing boxes and getting ready to distribute truckloads of food to the waiting cars. Food on the Move took over an entire parking lot at Oklahoma State University-Tulsa to mark the one-year anniversary of its drive-through giveaways, launched in March 2020 to help feed Tulsans who had been affected by the economic impact of COVID-19.
The lines have grown longer, not shorter over the past 12 months, said Turner, pastor of nearby Vernon AME Church.
People are also reading…
“You can see how much need there is,” he said, his eyes following the line of cars as it stretched down Greenwood Avenue north of downtown.
Over the past 52 weeks, Food on the Move has organized 153 events, served more than 600,000 meals, and distributed about 3.5 million pounds of food, officials said. Like usual for a Food on the Move event, Tuesday’s included a DJ and several food trucks to create an almost festival-like atmosphere.
“We’re always kind of proud when we see people lined up down the street like this,” because it takes an enormous effort to provide food to so many families, said Taylor Hanson, founder of Food on the Move but better known for being part of the Tulsa-based rock band Hanson.
“But we’re also completely floored by it,” Hanson said, because it means so many Tulsans can’t afford to feed themselves.
“I see the potential,” he said. “If we can come together in a time like this, I believe we can do anything.”
Thanking volunteers and donors during a brief ceremony, Food on the Move officials called Tuesday’s event “Tulsa Strong” because the year-long effort has required broad support from across the city, said executive director Kevin Harper.
“Every box of food we give out represents hope,” Harper said. “It represents a city that wasn’t going to give up.”
These are the new CDC guidelines for fully vaccinated people
These are the new CDC guidelines for fully vaccinated people
Hanging with friends at home is low-risk
Visits and small gatherings in private settings, such as popping by to see a friend or watching a movie with a small group, are considered low-risk for fully vaccinated people. There is still a risk, however, of a fully vaccinated person transmitting the virus if they are infected. (MarsBars/Getty Images)
Fully vaccinated people are low-risk to each other
Fully vaccinated people can visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors - to have dinner, for example - without masks or physical distancing at a relatively low risk. (coldsnowstorm/Getty Images)
Unvaccinated people should call the shots
Visits between vaccinated people and unvaccinated people present little risk to vaccinated people, so precautions should be taken based on protecting unvaccinated people. (chalffy/Getty Images)
Keep visits with high-risk individuals masked and outdoors
Vaccinated people visiting with unvaccinated people from a single household that has individuals at risk of severe COVID-19 should take precautions including wearing a mask, maintaining physical distance and staying outdoors. (TangMingTung/Getty Images)
Gatherings of multiple households should remain outdoors and masked
Because the addition of another household increases the risk of transmission, fully vaccinated people should wear masks and maintain distance when interacting with members from multiple households. For example, if vaccinated grandparents visit their unvaccinated daughter and grandchildren and the neighbors come over, the gathering should be moved outside and physical distance should be maintained. (SolStock/Getty Images)
Skip concerts and weddings
Regardless of vaccination status, people should continue to avoid large gatherings such as concerts, festivals, conferences, parades, weddings and sporting events. (Geber86/Getty Images)
Keep your mask on in public spaces
While the risk is lower, public spaces like the gym still increase exposure to unvaccinated people. Fully vaccinated people should continue to wear masks, maintain distance and wash their hands frequently in these spaces. (franckreporter/Getty Images)
Continue to avoid travel
The CDC has not updated its travel recommendations. People should continue to avoid travel, but if you must, get tested before and after as well as quarantine. (Lorado/Getty Images)
Absent symptoms, there’s no need to isolate following exposure
Fully vaccinated people with no COVID-like symptoms do not need to quarantine or be tested following an exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 as their risk of infection is low, but they should keep an eye out for symptoms for two weeks following the exposure. (adamkaz/Getty Images)
Homeless shelters and prisons
Fully vaccinated residents of non-health care congregate settings such as homeless shelters, halfways houses and prisons should quarantine following exposure. The high turnover and dense population of these settings warrants extra precaution. (NoSystem images/Getty Images)
