Clean up your driving habits this spring with a safe driving refresher

Content starts here

New Survey Reveals Alarming Spike in Food Insecurity Across Seminole County

Community partners outline a roadmap for The Impact Center to meet rising demand

AARP

Published March 05, 2026

Survival set of nonperishable foods in carton box

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Seminole County is facing a dramatic and escalating hunger crisis, according to a new survey conducted by AARP, Community Market of Pottawatomie County (CMPC), Impact Seminole, and the City of Seminole. The data shows a profound shift in local needs following the 2025 federal government shutdown, with service demand reaching levels not seen since the COVID 19 pandemic.

In just 13 days during the shutdown, CMPC assisted 2,488 families, or 8,309 individuals—a 39% surge over the same period in 2024. Nearly half of those families were first time clients seeking emergency food support. Even after SNAP benefits were restored, demand remained elevated through the end of 2025, resulting in a 30% year over year increase and pushing CMPC’s annual service totals past 75,000 people.

As CMPC anticipates further increases in demand in 2026—driven in part by state level changes to SNAP facilitation under H.R. 1—these findings will serve as the strategic foundation for the proposed Impact Center. The Impact Center will be a dedicated community resource hub in Seminole County, offering centralized access to nutrition support, health resources, and social services.

The future home of The Impact Center, 401 N. Milt Philips, housed the former Al & James Grocery Store. The facility will directly address the needs of the 20% of CMPC shoppers who reside in Seminole County.

AARP Oklahoma was one of many supporters of Seminole County’s development of the new Impact Center building with a $10,000 donation.

“Food insecurity isn’t an abstract statistic. It’s the reality for far too many of our neighbors in Seminole County,” said Mashell Sourjohn, AARP Oklahoma Sr. Associate State Director, Advocacy. “The Impact Center will bring food, health resources, and trusted partners under one roof so people can get help faster and closer to home.”

Guided by the survey, the Impact Center is designed to streamline access to nutrition, health care, and social services in one trusted, convenient location which reduces transportation burdens and connects residents to coordinated support. The hub model aligns community resources across state, tribal, nonprofit, and local partners to close gaps and accelerate relief for households under the greatest strain.

About the Survey

Food Insecurity in Seminole County, OK is based on responses from 410 adults across three key Seminole County ZIP codes, collected June–September 2025 via SMS, postcards, open link surveys, phone calls, and paper questionnaires. The findings underscore not only the urgent need for expanded resources, but also strong public support for collaborative solutions involving state, tribal, nonprofit, and local partners.