Comanche Cares Holds Food Drive for Comanche Academy Charter School

Comanche Student Food Drive
Comanche Smoke Shops present donation items to Comanche Academy Charter School. L-R: Marcus Ramirez; School Leader Dava Fratello at Comanche Academy Charter School; Kristi Gonzales; and Keenan Cable. (All grey shirts are with Comanche Smoke Shops)

LAWTON, OK – Comanche Cares, a community giving initiative by Comanche Nation Entertainment, is making sure students at the Comanche Academy Charter School have food during spring break by hosting a food drive.

Mia Tahdooahnippah, Comanche Nation Entertainment CEO, offered thanks to the many organizations that donated food, gift cards, money and food bags for the students including Spotted Feather, Imperial, Indian Nation, Bears Den Charitable Foundation, City Mart and Walmart.

“Supporting our community and students is a top priority for us, and we’re so grateful to our community partners for their support,” said Tahdooahnippah.

Comanche Cares regularly donates to food initiatives in Southwest Oklahoma, where Comanche Nation Entertainment operates six gaming establishments, a hotel, travel plazas, quick stops and smoke shops.

Comanche Student Food Donations

“We understand the need for food can have a tremendous impact in our communities,” said Tahdooahnippah. In 2021, the regional food bank said 208,110 children and more than 500,000 people in Comanche County dealt with food insecurity.

The food drive was organized by Kristi Gonzalez, Operation Manager of Comanche Smoke Shops, as a way to combat food insecurity among students during the break. “What started as a request for a few hundred dollars was met with an overwhelming response totaling $4,000 in food and monetary donations,” said Tahdooahnippah.   

Donations included non-perishable food items, reusable bags and baskets, as well as monetary donations.