Hunters For The Hungry is a collaboration between hunters, deer processors and food banks to help get donated deer meat to the needy who can benefit from it. Just about every state has some form of this type of organization operating in their state to help fight hunger even if it goes by a different name. NRA State by State List of Organizations
This past year deer hunters in the state of Virginia really stepped up to help those in need;
Statewide, Hunters for the Hungry, a wild game donation program, processed and distributed more than 363,000 pounds of deer meat to families and individuals living in poverty in 2007.
Locally, the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank Network based in Verona received 5,000 pounds last year, an increase of 2,650 pounds from 2006, said Ruth Jones, the bank’s public relations officer. Mercy House, a homeless shelter in Harrisonburg that helps families with young children, also received donations of meat, but officials there could not be reached for comment.
The increase in donations is a result of larger deer populations across the state, combined with hunters’ growing awareness of Hunters for the Hungry, said Laura Newell-Furniss, director of the program. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries has not yet released the number of deer killed by hunters in 2007 and 2008.
“Every year [Hunters for the Hungry has] grown,” Newell-Furniss said. “There were a lot of deer taken, we’re a growing program and more people hear about us and get involved in it.”
Well Done Virginia Deer Hunters you’ve done a great job and are an inspiration to the rest of us to get involved in efforts to help the needy in our own state. Also remember that besides deer they have a need for cash to help pay for processing the deer. I know here in NC that only a certain number of deer can be done because of lack of funding. So help them out if you can.
