Tulsa Outreach Programs Brace for SNAP Benefits Freeze

Volunteer staff with Night Light Tulsa unload supplies under an overpass ahead of the outreach event on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, in Tulsa, Okla. (Allison Bennett)

TULSA, Okla. (Oct. 25, 2025) – Every Thursday evening, volunteers with Night Light Tulsa serve warm meals, provide essentials and offer services to people who are experiencing homelessness in the community. Beginning Nov. 1, a federal funding freeze will halt Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments to Oklahomans, a change that could disproportionately affect north Tulsa's most vulnerable residents.

Volunteer staff with Night Light Tulsa grill burgers for guests in need of food assistance during an outreach event on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, in Tulsa, Okla. (Allison Bennett)

The Oklahoma Department of Human Services announced that SNAP benefits will be suspended beginning Nov. 1, 2025, due to the federal shutdown. Oklahoma has the nation’s fifth-highest rate of food insecurity, with about 687,000 Oklahomans relying on SNAP each month. Night Light Tulsa, which provides meals and support to those without housing, expects a surge in need as SNAP and other federal benefits come to a halt.

A barber volunteers with Night Light Tulsa to provide a haircut to a man in need during an outreach event on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, in Tulsa, Okla. (Allison Bennett)

“We have already seen people nervous about what that’s going to look like, in fear of not having enough food. Our partner organizations and food pantries are already having to prepare for being overloaded,” said Jacqueline Young, community director for City Lights Foundation.

In preparation for the shutdown, the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma has been sourcing as much food as possible to handle the influx of people in need of food assistance. For those without housing, access to street meals, food pantries, and outreach events is a lifeline. Many have no fixed address or reliable access to cooking or food storage.

Volunteer staff with Night Light Tulsa offer a selection of free books to guests during an outreach event on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025 in Tulsa, Okla. (Allison Bennett)

"Everyone who's going through something is someone's friend, brother, uncle… They're no different. It really can take just a chain of events to go from normal life to life on the street," said Rob H., volunteer staff member for Night Light Tulsa.

The loss of SNAP benefits forces those who rely on them to choose between food and other necessities such as rent or medicine, pushing the most vulnerable residents further into crisis.

A Night Light Tulsa volunteer removes a road blockade following a weekly outreach event under a downtown overpass on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, in Tulsa, Okla. (Allison Bennett)

As Nov. 1 approaches, Tulsa's network of care is bracing. If SNAP does not resume, people experiencing homelessness may face more frequent reliance on emergency food services, longer waits, and heightened competition for scarce resources.

Night Light Tulsa meets every Thursday from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. under the overpass at Maybelle Ave. and Reconciliation Way. Visit citylightsok.org for more information on volunteering and donations.

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