OKLAHOMA CITY – Reps. Marilyn Stark, R-Bethany, and Tammy West, R-Oklahoma City, presented a citation this week to students in Southern Nazarene University’s international management class in recognition of their recent food drive benefiting local families facing food insecurity. 

Students in the class collected more than 1,000 nonperishable food items this semester as part of a service-learning project that connected course lessons to community need. 

The idea began after the class learned about a local family struggling with food insecurity due to the loss of their SNAP benefits. What started as a simple donation drive quickly grew into a campuswide effort to meet a real and urgent need. 

"The students’ compassion and commitment to serving others is truly inspiring," Stark said. "They saw a need close to home and stepped up in a meaningful way. I was honored to present this citation alongside Rep. West and to recognize the work these students put into helping families in our community." 

"The strength of our state lies in the strength of our communities," West said. "The loss of SNAP benefits this month has unfortunately hit many Oklahoma families hard, but our state has rallied together to support our neighbors. These students heard about a need and took it upon themselves to answer the call. I am proud of how their kindness and initiative has made a difference in these families' lives." 

The citation was presented during class on campus earlier this week.