News & Updates

When there isn’t enough money to make ends meet and people are struggling to put food on their table, they often reach out to food banks, food pantries and feeding ministries for help. As we continue to suffer the economic effects from the COVID pandemic these organizations provide an important lifeline to people in need.
 
These organizations often list meat as one of their top donation needs. The donation of fresh meat is typically less frequent than other food items, and due to the higher cost of meat, most agencies are unable to purchase sufficient quantities. 
 
FHFH has provided almost 21 MILLION servings of meat for people struggling with hunger since 1997! We rely on the donation of deer and livestock by hunters and farmers, financial support from individuals, businesses, churches, clubs and foundations, time given by our volunteers, and the partnership of our participating meat processors. Because FHFH pays the fee for processing deer or livestock, there is no cost to the hunter or farmer donating or the food bank, food pantry or feeding ministry receiving the much-needed meat.
 
On behalf of FHFH and the people who are struggling with hunger, we thank you for your generous support as we work together to end hunger in our country!
 
Sincerely,

​

​​Josh Wilson,
​Executive Director

The Ausherman Family Foundation recently awarded Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry a $5,000 grant for Frederick County FHFH in Maryland. The funding will provide approximately 10,560 servings of meat to food banks and feeding ministries in Frederick County, MD.
 
The Ausherman Family Foundation is a private foundation, established in 2006. The Trustees envision a vibrant community where committed nonprofit organizations effectively work together in a spirit of cooperation to advance superior charitable outcomes in Frederick County. The Foundation’s mission is to empower the passion for change in Frederick County, Maryland.
 
On behalf of FHFH and those in Frederick County who struggle with hunger, we thank the Ausherman Family Foundation for their generosity and support of our mission to end hunger.

Larry Rea interviewed Josh Wilson, Executive Director of Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry, during the October 3rd episode of “Outdoors with Larry Rea.” 
Listen to this great interview on YouTube by clicking the video link above!
 
“Outdoors with Larry Rea” is in its 16th year on the air, broadcasting from Entercom Studios in Memphis, TN. The show’s host, Larry Rea, is an expert in Outdoors media, having been the Outdoors Editor for the Memphis Commercial Appeal prior to his move into radio. The show, as well as its website, www.lroutdoors.com, has consistently won awards for excellence in broadcasting, most recently at the annual Southeastern Outdoors Press Association conference.
 
Airing on Saturday mornings, the show features a broad list of segments, including interviews with the most interesting and accomplished Outdoorsmen and women in the U.S. and beyond, but offers a local flavor as well. Larry and his team of show contributors cover the latest news, reports, products and events. In addition to the radio booth, the show hits the road to cover some of the most prestigious events in the industry, such as the Bassmaster Classic, the National Field Dog Trials and more.

Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry, along with other venison donation programs, is featured in the recent article “How Hunters Use Venison to Feed the Hungry” written by Patrick Durkin of MeatEater.

Hagerstown, MD – Many hunters across the country enjoy processing the deer they harvest into delicious steaks, roasts, and specialty items such as sausage and jerky at home. Many others rely on the services of local butcher shops and meat markets for their deer processing needs – locations that may be impacted this fall by the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
The Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) venison donation ministry is advising hunters who plan to donate deer to any hunters for the hungry program – along with those who opt to have their own deer processed professionally – to avoid frustrating surprises by checking with their local butcher for any changes related to COVID-19.
 
“The impact of COVID-19 on some of the larger commercial processing plants in locations across the country has had a trickle-down impact on many local butchers and meat markets,” said FHFH Executive Director Josh Wilson. “There are some meat processing locations that are completely booked with livestock processing until well into the new year – and as a result some have opted to pause the deer processing portion of their business until they are caught up. With more people than usual depending on food assistance programs and ministries due to the pandemic, we are encouraging all hunters to plan ahead and make sure they can continue to donate their deer this season.”
 
While this situation is not expected to impact all areas, hunters should check with their local butcher or meat market ahead of time to become aware of any changes due to COVID-19. In the event that a location is not handling deer at all this season, it may be possible to find an alternate location for donation or custom deer processing within a reasonable distance.
 
FHFH has distributed nearly 21 million servings of nutritious meat to local food banks and ministries that serve the needy across America since 1997.​ Financial support from individuals, businesses, churches, organizations, and foundations enables FHFH to pay participating butchers a discounted rate to process and package deer and livestock donated by hunters and farmers.
 
FHFH welcomes new volunteers and financial supporters to join the cause.  Those interested in learning more can visit www.fhfh.org, call toll-free 866-438-3434, or email staff@fhfh.org for more information.

Contact: Josh Wilson – 301-739-3000 / josh@fhfh.org 

​About FHFH  –  Give Financially  –  Find a Participating Butcher
​  Start a Local Chapter  –  Partnering Sponsors

Helping Hungry Children and Their Families
 
September is Hunger Action Month and we invite you join with other Americans to fight hunger! 
 
In 2018 there were 37,227,000 people (11.5%) in America struggling with hunger and 11,174,000 (15.2%) of them were children!  
​The new school year has started. Whether children are learning online or in a classroom they all need an adequate amount of food including protein to learn and be healthy. 
​They should be focusing on learning instead of an empty stomach.
 
Hunting season begins in September in many states and it’s a time when hunters and farmers can help improve the quality of life for the hungry children, their families and senior citizens in their communities by donating deer or livestock to FHFH’s participating meat processors. The processed meat is distributed to local food banks, food pantries and feeding ministries who help people in need. 
 
As hunting season gets underway and donations of deer increase the need for funds increases too. FHFH pays the processing fees for deer donated to our participating meat processors so there is no cost to the hunter donating deer or to the food banks/pantries and feeding ministries who receive the much needed meat. Your tax-deductible financial support makes that possible! Your financial support can help make a positive impact on the quality of life for the children, families and senior citizens who are struggling with hunger!

You can help children to learn and thrive. Your act of kindness will make a difference to the hungry children in need and their families.

Here are ways you can get involved with FHFH and people all over the United States in the fight against hunger: 
 
You can help raise support and awareness for FHFH in the fight against hunger: 

• Give a financial gift to FHFH.
• Donate deer or livestock.
• Start an FHFH chapter in your community.
• Volunteer with an existing FHFH chapter.
• Share FHFH’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.
• Have a Facebook Fundraiser.
• Shop at the FHFH online gift shop.
• Shop at Amazon Smile and select FHFH as your charitable organization. 
• Sell on Ebay for Charity.
• Give at work (CFC). 

 
Each action you take brings us a step closer to ending hunger!

Thank you for your continued interest in our mission of feeding the hungry. 

Sincerely,

​
Josh Wilson
Executive Director

The Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund has awarded a grant to the national Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) venison donation ministry. This funding will help FHFH pay meat processing bills to transform donated deer into nutritious meat for local food banks while helping people across the nation see and understand the incredible value of the various “hunters for the hungry” programs.

“On behalf of those in our country who struggle with hunger, we thank the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund for their generosity and support of our mission to end hunger in America,” said FHFH Executive Director Josh Wilson

Guided by the visionary leadership of Bass Pro founder Johnny Morris, the Outdoor Fund empowers Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s 200 million annual customers to support conservation efforts by rounding up their purchases. Rallying passionate customers alongside dedicated team members, industry partners and leading conservation organizations, Bass Pro is creating North America’s largest conservation movement to collectively shape the future of the outdoors and all who love it for generations to come.

About FHFH – People across America who struggle with food insecurity are often desperate for meat and protein items. FHFH gives nutritious meat to food banks, food pantries and feeding ministries that help those in need by paying inspected and approved local butcher shops to process deer and livestock that are donated by farmers and hunters. Meat for over 20.9 million meals has been donated, processed and distributed by FHFH since 1997. The organization welcomes new supporters and volunteers to join the cause. To learn more please visit www.fhfh.org, call toll-free 866-438-3434, or email staff@fhfh.org.

The Daily Sentinel in Colorado recently featured an article about Grand Junction FHFH – “Hunters Helping the Hungry Through New Program.”
 
Part of the article tells how Brandon Siegfried and his friend, Grand Junction City Council member Kraig Andrews, started the Grand Junction chapter of FHFH in 2018.  It is looking to continue to expand the amount of meat it collects this hunting season so it can further supply its recipient, Catholic Outreach, which works locally to feed the hungry. Siegfried  sees the meat-donation program as a way to help out the community and advocate for hunters at the same time.

Angela Walsh, director of Catholic Outreach’s soup kitchen, praises the work Siegfried has done starting the program and growing it so quickly, including through getting the grant money this year. “The first year when he first approached us we had like no meat in the freezer and he saved the day that year for sure,” she said. “There are some times that our meat supply gets so depleted we’re scrambling for eggs or any kind of protein.”  Walsh said the game meat donations through FHFH can make a big difference.

Read the entire article.

It’s Summertime and Your Neighbors Are Facing Hunger 

It’s summertime and it’s very different this year. It is heartbreaking that people have lost their job or had work hours reduced due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and may not know where their next meal will come from. Many families are having to make the difficult decision of whether to pay bills or buy food.  

Millions of people across our country who never thought they would experience the hardship of struggling with hunger are turning to food banks, food pantries and feeding ministries to keep from going hungry. These programs could be their last hope of getting enough food to eat.

In the United States 1 in 9 people are struggling with hunger and no community is untouched. That’s 37,227,000 people and 11,174,000 of them are children! The statistics don’t show the faces and suffering of the people who are hungry.
 
Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry is helping to make sure people who are in need have nutritious protein.  FHFH provides hunters and farmers with the opportunity to help their hungry neighbors by donating deer or livestock to participating FHFH meat processors. The meat is then distributed to food banks, food pantries and feeding ministries.
 
Financial support enables FHFH to pay participating local butcher shops a discounted rate to process and package donated deer and livestock. As a result there is no cost to the hunter to donate deer or the farmer to donate livestock, or to the food banks, food pantries and feeding ministries who receive the much needed meat.

Our communities are stronger when we join together to help each other – especially in times of hardship like we are experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can make a difference to someone who is struggling to get enough to eat.  Whether you donate deer or livestock or give financially to FHFH you are a part of a generous and compassionate group of individuals who are helping their neighbors in need! Together, we can make a positive impact in our communities! 
 
Thank you for your continued interest in our mission of feeding the hungry. ​

Sincerely,

​

​
Josh Wilson
Executive Director

​Venison Rump Roast “Deli Deer”
Submitted by Brian in Ohio
 
Remove all fat, silver skin and glands from the meat.
 
Brine*

• 1 cup water 
• 1 cup kosher salt 
• 1 cup red wine 
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup sugar  
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire
• 3 tables peppercorns 
• 3 bay leaves 

​Rub*

• 2 tablespoons course black pepper
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon sage

*Depending on size of the roast these measurements may vary

Brine the meat in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
 
Remove meat and rinse, then rub with coarse black pepper, kosher salt and sage. Wrap and refrigerate 12-24 hours.  
 
Remove wrapping from meat and smoke at 145-180 degrees until meat reaches desired degree of doneness.
 
Wrap warm in foil and chill until ready to slice.