The Georgia Hunters for the Hungry (GHFTH) initiative offers hunters an excellent opportunity to contribute by providing venison, a highly nutritious, low-fat, organic meat source, to individuals in need. “There are still a few months remaining in the deer season; if your freezer is already full, you need not cease your hunting activities. We encourage you to consider harvesting a deer for the Hunters for the Hungry program! You can donate your deer at a participating processor at no expense to yourself.

The venison will be processed and distributed to those who require assistance,” stated Ted Will, Director of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division. “This year, we have increased the number of participating processors and set a higher distribution target. Donating venison is beneficial for hunters, aids in managing the deer population, and provides essential meat to food banks throughout Georgia.” Since its establishment in 1993, GHFTH has been supplying high-quality protein to food-insecure Georgians. To date, hunters have contributed over 375,000 pounds of ground venison to the program, with processing costs covered by GHFTH.

In addition to donating a deer to a processor, there are various other ways to get involved: – Contributing to the Georgia Wildlife Federation or becoming a sponsor. A donation of $15 can cover the processing of enough venison for 24 meals. – Promoting GHFTH and helping to identify new processors in areas that are underserved. – Becoming a participating processor.

The Georgia Hunters for the Hungry program is a collaborative effort involving the Georgia Wildlife Federation, the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division, the Georgia Food Bank Association, and Municipal Development Services, LLC. For information on locating a participating deer processor or for further details, please visit gwf.org/ghfth/.