More than Half a Million Meals Provided to Hungry Tennesseans by Local Hunters

The Tennessee Wildlife Federation's Hunters for the Hungry (HFTH) program is reporting another record year, with total venison donations up 13 percent over last season's record. Tennessee deer hunters donated nearly 63 tons of lean, high-protein venison that provided more than half a million meals to their hungry neighbors through local food pantries.

Program support was also up significantly, with grants from the Wal-Mart Foundation and the Plough Foundation funding additional processing quotas and placing new chest freezers at key distribution points.

"The white-tailed deer is a healthy, renewable resource that has to be managed, and this program gives hunters a way to donate venison to be prepared by professional butchers and distributed to food banks and soup kitchens across the state," says Matt Simcox, the Federation's statewide Hunters for the Hungry coordinator. "Tennessee hunting and fishing licenses expire at the end of February, and we hope people will take advantage of the opportunity to give a dollar to Hunters for the Hungry when renewing those licenses. One dollar can provide four meals to hungry Tennesseans."

Based upon available funding, participating processors are allotted a quota for the number of deer that HFTH will subsidize. Grants and local fund-raisers raise funds that pay for processing; beyond the established quotas, hunters pay a reduced processing fee to donate a deer. A $25,000 grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation supported the program statewide, and a $20,000 grant from the Memphis-based Plough Foundation focused on supplying the Mid-South Food Bank with much-needed protein.

"Thanks to this effort, we were able to provide more than 12,000 pounds of ground meat and roasts to the organizations we support," said Bob Fritchey, food resource coordinator at the Mid-South Food Bank, which serves more than 320 agencies and programs that feed 20,000 people a month. "Protein is such an important part of a balanced diet, and most food banks don't have a consistent source - the bulk of what's provided is pasta and rice and other dry staples. When we get the chance to offer meat, it's a great thing."

Hunters can donate whole deer, or give a portion of their own processed meat when picking it up from a participating processor. TWF has placed 27 chest freezers at various collection and distribution points to provide more storage space for donations during the season.  

"Our deer herd is around a million today, and they must be managed to prevent negative wildlife interactions, like deer-car collisions and destruction of property," Simcox said. "This program represents a means by which to address a critical social need in a very effective manner. It just makes sense all the way around."

Hunters for the Hungry has provided more than 3.2 million meals to Tennesseans in need over the life of the program. To read the full annual report, click here.  

Founded in 1946, the Tennessee Wildlife Federation's mission is to champion the conservation, sound management and enjoyment of Tennessee's wildlife and natural resources for current and future generations through stewardship, advocacy and education.