
From the Desk of District 33, Representative John Talley
(Cushing, Okla) — This week, I had the honor of attending a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new resource to help Payne County residents struggling with food insecurity.
Our Daily Bread Food & Resource Center is a nonprofit based in Stillwater that serves all of Payne County. They just opened a location in Cushing called Cushing Marketplace, open every Wednesday from 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Our Daily Bread does incredibly important work. According to the most recent data, around 14% of residents in Payne County experience food insecurity, meaning they don’t have access to sufficient food or quality food. Sometimes people don’t know where their next meal is coming from, and they may go to bed hungry more often than not.
Over 1,200 households are served at their Stillwater location each month. In recent years, staff and volunteers have made an extra effort to reach out to those who cannot get to Stillwater. When people are living in poverty, reliable transportation can be an enormous barrier.
Each Wednesday, they visit different Payne County communities with supplemental groceries through their Mobile Market program in order to let people know about Our Daily Bread and connect them with other resources they may need.
The Cushing Marketplace opened June 12, and guests can come once a month to select groceries from the shopping floor at no cost. They plan to add programs, local resource information and educational opportunities in the months to come. More information is available on their Facebook page and their website, ourdailybreadstillwater.org/cushingmarketplace.
This is available to residents of Cushing and surrounding communities, but a form of identification is required for you and all members of your household to receive services; these IDs can be a driver license, social security card, birth certificate, medical ID card or school record. If the address on your ID is not current, be sure to bring proof of residence.
I’m very appreciative of the work that Our Daily Bread does to support our neighbors who need assistance.
I recently had the privilege of recognizing Guthrie Police Chief Don Sweger at a City Council meeting. Chief Sweger was named the 2024 Small Agency Chief of the Year by the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police out of 381 departments across the state that serve 15,000 people or less. Chief Sweger’s leadership and commitment to professionalism have been of great service to Guthrie.
I also recently honored Guthrie Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Mike Simpson at a school board meeting for being recognized as the 2024 State Superintendent of the Year for the state of Oklahoma. Dr. Simpson has excelled in building community and improving student success, and it was my privilege to thank him for his diligent work.
Don’t forget that Oklahomans have elections on June 18. You can use the Online Voter Portal on the State Election Board’s website at okvoterportal.okelections.us to find your polling place and view your sample ballot. I encourage everybody to do their homework and prepare ahead of time so you can make your voices heard! Any necessary run-offs will occur Aug. 27, while the general election is Nov. 5.
As always, please reach out to my office at 405-557-7304 or [email protected] with any questions or concerns. Thank you for the honor of representing House District 33 at the State Capitol.