From OETA:

From The Tulsa World:

After losing her job, burning through her savings and fearing what will happen if things don’t turn around, all Mavis King can do is sing.

“Singing has saved my life more than once,” King said. “I can get into it and it’s an expression from the soul. You get into it and you feel better.

“It’s the only thing I do that keeps me from getting down because it brings me so much pleasure. Plus, I can’t afford to do anything else.”

A friend has been paying her membership dues so she can continue singing in the Oklahoma Jubilee chapter of the Sweet Adeline Singers. King is one of thousands of Oklahomans who have lost their job during the recession and have turned to the safety net of social programs for the first time.

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From The Daily Oklahoman:

Poverty undermines the well-being of Oklahoma children, contributing to higher teen birth rates, poorer health and school dropout rates, child advocacy officials said.

The recently released Kids Count data book shows that the percentage of poor children in Oklahoma increased from 19 percent in 2000 to 22 percent in 2007.

“Poverty is the one risk factor that exacerbates all the rest, so that if you are sick, being poor also makes it unlikely that you will see a doctor, or if you are not doing well in school, being poor also makes it unlikely that you can afford a tutor,” said Anne Roberts, executive director of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy.

Oklahoma ranks 44th among states in the study of the well-being of America’s children. That’s down from 38th in 2005.

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by Ajit Bhand

At 8 a.m., dark clouds were already gathering outside to signal another gloomy day full of rain. A baby carriage came to a halt, and the solitary passenger seemed perturbed. At the front of the line, a young boy in a green Incredible Hulk t-shirt was greeted by a friendly voice…

Photos by Ajit Bhand.