BY THE NUMBERS
11 Number of HFTH donations sites in Georgia
62,380 Number of meals provided by HFTH in 2013
325,759 Pounds of venison donated to HFTH in 1993-2013
December marks the final month of the white-tailed deer season in North Georgia. Most hunters probably have put a doe or two in the larder for the coming year and are concentrating on downing a bragging-sized buck.
Those hunters also should consider taking another deer or two to contribute to the Hunters for the Hungry program. The HFTH project is an effort by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Georgia Food Bank Association to provide high-quality ground venison for distribution to the state’s families in need.
The Georgia Wildlife Federation has been a sponsor of the program since its inception in 1993. The program now is funded by the GWF with grants from the Wal-Mart Foundation, the Bi-Lo Foundation, the Central Georgia and Snapping Shoals Electric Membership Corporations and anonymous public donations.
Hunters can drop off deer at specific, state-inspected processors throughout the state. The meat then is ground and packaged for delivery to local food banks serving 145 Georgia counties.
Donations increased yearly until peaking in 2009, when 30,400 pounds of venison were processed. Hunters were asked to pay for having the deer they dropped off processed beginning in 2010 because of budget constraints. Donations virtually dried up for two years after that change.
Money from the grants from foundations and the EMCs now pays for processing and turned the tide in the 2013 season. Donations rebounded to 12,476 pounds of meat.
“We are excited to be able to expand the HFTH program through the addition of two processors in Middle Georgia this year,” said Todd Holbrook, the president and CEO of GWF.
Donations should continue to increase as hunters become aware that they no longer are asked to pay to process the deer.
Visit georgiawildlife.com/hunting and then click the link for HFTH for more information and a list of donation sites.
