News & Updates

FEDERAL EMPLOYEES – The Combined Federal Campaign special COVID-19 pledging period is open now through June 30th.  
​https://cfcgiving.opm.gov/welcome

Please consider giving or adding to your existing gift to help charities like Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry – FHFH during the pandemic recovery! 

Groups and organizations are uniting to provide food for people in need in Ohio. 
 
Kathi Albertson, Coordinator for Guernsey County FHFH in Ohio, contacted the Guernsey County Farm Bureau for suggestions about how to purchase discounted meat from local farmers.
 
Guernsey County Farm Bureau board member Garry Burroughs contacted Randy Raber of Red Hill Farm and owner of The Bears Den and 360 Burger.  That contact resulted in the donation of a steer to FHFH who will pay the meat processing fee.  Meat from the steer will be donated to Grace Food Pantry. 
 
Another Guernsey County Farm Bureau board member donated a hog to FHFH.  The meat will be distributed to food banks, food pantries and feeding ministries who serve people in need in Noble County.
 
The full story published by The Daily Jeff on April 21, 2020 can be viewed at https://www.daily-jeff.com/news/20200421/steer-hog-donations-to-help-feed-community

 “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ….”  Matthew 25:35  
​
Helping Our Neighbors 
  
During this unprecedented time the number of people struggling with hunger is increasing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The already existing millions of people who have struggled with food insecurity are affected as well as additional people who have suffered a loss of income. Those struggling with hunger include the most vulnerable – children and seniors.
 
A loss of income could change people’s eating patterns, resulting in poorer nutrition.  Adequate and balanced nutrition is needed for a well-functioning immune system for everyone and for growth in children. Protein is a vital component of a balanced diet.
 
When there is inadequate income to purchase the amount and quality of food for a balanced healthy diet, people often turn to food banks, food pantries and feeding ministries. Unfortunately, food banks, food pantries and other feeding programs often list meat and protein items among their top food donation needs.
 
Farmers and Hunters Feeding the hungry has provided more than 20.5 MILLION servings of meat to food banks, food pantries and feeding ministries since 1997! ​

The FHFH team is a group of compassionate individuals dedicated to helping our neighbors struggling with hunger. Our team consists of local volunteer chapter coordinators, participating meat processors, hunters and farmers who donate deer and livestock, and generous financial donors. The financial gifts pay the meat processing fees so there is no cost to the hunter or farmer to donate or to the food banks, food pantries or feeding groups to receive the much needed meat.
 
In this increasing time of need, please consider helping others who are struggling to get enough to eat.

• Donate deer or livestock. CLICK HERE for a list of our participating meat processors.
• Make a financial gift. CLICK HERE to make a secure on-line donation. Your donations are tax deductible.

Our hearts and prayers go out for everyone affected by COVID-19. Together, we can help each other get through this difficult time and help ensure people in our communities have enough to eat.
  
Thank you for your continued interest in our mission of feeding the hungry. ​

Sincerely,

​

Josh Wilson
Executive Director

The Pastor at Shepherds Christian Assembly in Coshocton, Ohio expressed appreciation to FHFH for the meat donations to their soup kitchen. 
 
“What a continued blessing FHFH is to our Lord’s ministry. We are still serving lunch at our soup kitchen, but with limited seating. We serve only nine at a time six feet apart, then we bleach everything when they are finished and bring in the next ones. We serve an average of 25 people during these restricted times. We are also making venison meatloaf and giving it to those in need. Thank you again for following the leading of the Lord for FHFH.”

Catholic Outreach in Colorado thanked 
Grand Junction FHFH (CO-05) for the donation of meat to their feeding ministry. The meat donated by FHFH was used to make elk sloppy joes at their soup kitchen.

​

Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) has earned the 2020 Platinum Seal of Transparency, the highest level of recognition offered by GuideStar, a service of Candid. By sharing metrics that highlight progress FHFH is making toward its mission, the organization is helping donors utilize methods of nonprofit evaluation that go beyond simplistic overhead ratios.
 
“In accordance with our long-held belief in being transparent about our work,” said Josh Wilson, Executive Director, “we are excited to convey our organization’s results in a user-friendly and highly visual manner. By updating our GuideStar Nonprofit Profile to the Platinum level, we can now easily share a wealth of up-to-date organizational metrics with our supporters as well as GuideStar’s immense online audience, which includes donors, grantmakers, our peers, and the media.”
 
To reach the Platinum level, FHFH added extensive information to its Nonprofit Profile on GuideStar: basic contact and organizational information; in-depth financial information; qualitative information about goals, strategies, and capabilities; and quantitative information about results and progress toward 4 its mission. By taking the time to provide this information, FHFH has demonstrated its commitment to transparency and to giving donors and funders meaningful data to evaluate nonprofit performance.
 
You are encouraged to visit our profile on GuideStar. FHFH is thrilled that our GuideStar Platinum Nonprofit Profile and its associated benefits help us better communicate our organization’s exciting initiatives at a global scale.
 
In February 2019, GuideStar joined forces with Foundation Center to form Candid, a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Today, GuideStar is a service of Candid. The GuideStar database contains a profile for every tax-exempt nonprofit registered with the IRS. The profiles are populated with information directly from nonprofits, the IRS, and other partners in the nonprofit sector. 

Groundnut Stew
Submitted by Jim Tate
Makes 6 servings

Peanut butter is ground up nuts, and peanuts are dug out of the ground – hence the name.  Jim first obtained this recipe from a professional hunter he met years ago. 

In Africa, the venison was usually Gazelle or other African antelope.  Jim shared a bowl of venison groundnut stew with his neighbors.  They were delighted to tell him that their Nigerian nanny would make groundnut stew using goat. Jim usually makes it with white-tailed deer or pronghorn.  He was told it is commonly made with chicken, and often contains something from the sky, the earth, and the water. 
​

• 2 pounds stew meat (venison preferred) cut in 1-inch chunks
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper (or substitute 1 tablespoon of a beef rub)
• 2 medium onions
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 10 florets okra
• 1/2 pound spinach
• 2 tablespoon salad oil (peanut oil best)
• 1 cup peanut butter

   
In a covered medium saucepan, cook meat, 1 1/2 cups water, salt, and pepper for 1 1/2 hours or until tender.

Meanwhile, in a covered electric blender container at low speed blend onions, okra, and tomatoes until smooth (or chop onions and tomatoes very fine). 

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, in hot oil, cook onion-tomato mixture for 5 minutes.  Add onion-tomato  mixture, spinach, and peanut butter to meat.  Cook at low heat about 20 minutes until spinach is cooked and sauce cooks down slightly.

Serve over hot rice.

Accompaniments: 
Pass small bowls of shredded coconut, orange segments, pineapple chunks, or fried onions to sprinkle over individual servings of stew, if you like.

Due to the concern surrounding the outbreak of Coronavirus COVID-19 and efforts to slow down the spread of the virus facilitated by group gatherings, FHFH decided to postpone the Maryland Benefit Banquet and Auction originally scheduled for Friday, March 13th in Hagerstown. At this time it is too early to know whether a new date will be available in the next several months. If not, we will look ahead to the second half of the year.

Individuals who have purchased tickets may decide to: (1) keep the tickets for use at the rescheduled banquet, (2) have the purchase price converted to a donation and receive a tax receipt, or (3) request a refund of their ticket purchase amount. This can be handled by calling FHFH at 301-739-3000 or emailing us.

We appreciate your understanding and we pray for a swift resolution to this major public health concern!

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ….”  Matthew 25:35 

Which Basic Need Would You Sacrifice? 

If you didn’t have enough money to pay for all of your basic needs, which would you sacrifice? Would you decide to not buy food or medicine, cut back on health care, not pay  for rent, heat, water or electricity? How would you choose knowing that doing without any one of these basic needs would have detrimental consequences?
 
For millions of people in our country making this difficult decision is a reality! Parents are trying to provide for their families and senior citizens are struggling to survive on limited incomes. They may cut back on food, skip meals, reduce food portions or water down food. Persistent hunger can cause fatigue, trouble concentrating and have a negative impact on their health. This shouldn’t be happening and it doesn’t have to!
 
FHFH has been proving nutritious venison and livestock at no cost to food banks, food pantries and feeding ministries in local communities across our nation since 1997. FHFH and the organizations serving people in need can make the difference between someone going hungry or having an adequate amount of food to be healthy and productive. 

A priest once told FHFH Founder Rick Wilson, “You’re not just feeding hungry people.  You’re saving people’s lives!”  The priest explained that his ministry brought people in off the streets on the coldest nights and gave them a warm meal. The support of FHFH helped his ministry and that some of the people would die if they remained out in the cold.
 
You can help provide food for someone who is hungry and you may even save a life! By donating deer or livestock, or giving a financial gift to FHFH you are helping people in communities across our country who are experiencing difficult circumstances. Together, we can help end hunger and make a better future for everyone!
  
Thank you for your continued interest in our mission of feeding the hungry.​

Sincerely,

​

​Josh Wilson
Executive Director

Classic Meatloaf
​Submitted by Lance Johnson, Coordinator for Rutherford County, North Carolina FHFH
​

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups onion, finely diced
• 1 1/4 cups portobello or desired mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, finely diced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup grated carrot
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup half-and-half or milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 pounds ground venison
• 1/2 pound ground pork or turkey
• 4 slices bacon, finely chopped
• 1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large skillet heat butter until melted and foaming.  Add onions, mushrooms, and celery.  Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper.  Cook 3 minutes, being careful not to brown.

Sprinkle thyme over onion mixture.  Rub garlic and pinch of salt into paste; add garlic.  Cook and stir until onions are tender and translucent.  Stir in grated carrot; remove from heat.  Cool completely.

Meanwhile, soak bread crumbs in half-and-half; lightly beat in eggs.

In large mixing bowl combine ground meats, bacon, cooled vegetables, and bread crumb mixture.  Sprinkle the 1-3/4 teaspoons salt and the pepper.  Using hands, mix until well blended.

Turn mixture into a rectangular baking dish.  Using hands, shape into a 9×5-inch loaf.  Make shallow indentation around sides.

Combine ketchup, brown sugar, and vinegar.  Spoon over top of meat loaf.  Bake on middle rack for 1 hour or until meat thermometer reaches 155 degrees F.  Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

The Blind of Delmarva located in Mardela Springs, Maryland is a small food pantry with a big goal of delivering food to those who cannot access a regular food pantry. Joan Mitcheil, who administers it says, “Our volunteers feed around 40 families and we operate on a shoestring. When given the opportunity of donated venison, I called everyone to see who wanted ‘deer burger.’ Everyone did! They look forward to it now.” Donald, who had a hip replacement, said he no longer hunts but relies on FHFH donations. Jackie said her chili is no good without venison. With the price of donated meat escalating at the Maryland Food Bank, having donated venison from FHFH has made a huge difference in our ability to provide meat to our hungry people. It is a real blessing. Here on the Lower Shore deer meat is a staple.