Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry is reminding all hunters and landowners about the organization’s deer donation program. After you’ve filled your own freezer, hunters are encouraged to help feed those in need in the area by donating to Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry’s “Meat” the Need initiative. Just take your deer in to your local meat processor/butcher shop and tell them you would like to donate it to Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry. There is NO charge to the hunter. Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry partners with 82 meat processors statewide and encourages the donation of large game and livestock to its program, raises financial support to pay processing fees on these donations, and gives this nutritious meat to local hunger relief agencies.
There are many Hoosiers who are working, trying to pay their bills, and still can’t afford to put enough food on the table to feed their families. According to the latest Feeding America Map the Meal Gap report, Indiana has 887,070 people struggling with hunger, 273,380 of which are children and a third of Indiana residents who are food insecure still don’t qualify for assistance. Protein is an important component of every cell in the body and one of the most important nutrients for brain and body development in children; it is also the hardest commodity for food banks to obtain. Those affected by food insecurity are often at high-risk for obesity and diet-related diseases due to the lack of quality in the foods that they can afford. Food insecurity can lead to loss of muscle mass and bone frailty, decreased immune system, babies with lower birth weights, and damage to a child’s ability to learn and grow – as the lack of healthy food results in people receiving fewer nutrients.
The primary goal of Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry is to provide this protein-packed meat to hunger-relief agencies within Indiana to assist those in need of additional food services. Getting groceries at local food banks and pantries guarantees healthy meals for families when they need extra help. This program works to ensure that these agencies have meat, allowing them to provide fresh nutritious protein for hungry local families. This effort will help build stronger, healthier communities by meeting a basic need – reducing food insecurity and empowering people by getting them back on track to hunger-free, independent living.
Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry is always accepting donations to fund its “Meat” the Need initiative and continuously seeks volunteers to help us in the efforts to feed the hungry and reduce hunger issues throughout Indiana. For more information on the Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry program, its services and to find participating meat processors in your area, or to find out how you can help, visit www.hoosiersfeedingthehungry.org.
