Program offers easy way to donate venison

With hunting season around the corner, many hunters will soon find their freezers packed with venison. The Hunters for the Hungry program offers a convenient way to donate extra venison to help feed people in need.

Interested hunters can take legally harvested deer to a participating meat processor, who will process and package the meat for a nominal fee to help cover basic costs. Meat processors make arrangements with local food assistance agencies to distribute the meat to people in the community who need food.

Last hunting season, hunters donated nearly 176,000 pounds of meat to the Hunters for the Hungry program through 90 participating meat processors in 64 counties. This year, hunters may donate deer at one of 96 participating meat processors in 69 counties, with new processors joining the program throughout the season.

Organizations providing food always need protein sources -- an important, but often expensive food category. Low in fat, venison nutritiously fulfills the protein category in a healthful way.

The venison donated to the Hunters for the Hungry program goes to food pantries, soup kitchens, churches, and shelters. Individuals and families impacted by ill health, job layoffs, domestic violence, natural disasters, and other personal crises benefited from the venison last season. All were appreciative of the delicious meals that resulted from Hunters for the Hungry donations and the generous hearts of the hunters and meat processors who made it possible.

For a complete list of participating meat processors, visit the Texas Association of Community Action Agencies on the web. The list of processors grows every season. Additional processors are always needed.

Monetary donations to support the program are always welcome. See the website for details.

The Texas Association of Community Action Agencies (TACAA) provides outreach and coordination efforts for the Hunters for the Hungry program. For more infor-mation about TACAA and other hunger relief programs, visit the web site at or call (800) 992-9767.