Hunters Against Hunger Give to Needy Oklahomans

By Jacqueline Sit, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Hunters have a chance to feed thousands of needy Oklahomans this holiday season.

Hunters who legally harvest a deer during this year's deer season can donate the meat to feed Oklahomans in need.

The program called Hunters Against Hunger allows hunters take their meat to a participating local meat processor and pay $10 to help with processing charges. The ground venison is then given to the needy within the community.

Kent Page has been hunting for years and for half a decade, he's been one of many 'Hunters Against Hunger' in the Sooner State.

"You get to share the passion of going out deer hunting, doing what you love to do and helping people at the same time," Page said.

Terry's Taxidermy is one of the local companies who partners with hunters in the program.

"Either they got too many deer on their place that they need to get taken care of and they've already got a freezer full of meat. So what they'll do is they'll come in, fill out an information sheet,  and make a donation to the program. And then we have the food banks come by and pick up the meat after we skin it, process it and ground it up into hamburger," said Terry Mayberry, Terry's Taxidermy.

The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma said every bit goes a long way in helping those in need this season.

"In many cases the hunter might not be able to use the venison themselves. So in this case, it's going to a family who needs a protein source. So it's a win, win situation for the hunter, for the processing center, as well as for the Department of Wildlife Federation," Rodney Bivens, Executive Director for the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.

Bivens said last year hunters were able to donate over 42,000 pounds of venison providing nearly 160,000 meals to needy people.

Find a participating meat processor for Hunters Against Hunger near you