News & Updates

We received this letter from Hebron Country Food Pantry in Indiana thanking FHFH for helping with the meat processing cost for a steer they purchased.

Dear Friends at FHFH,
 
Thank you so very much for the $350 donated to assist in the processing of the steer we purchased at the Porter Country Fair.  We ground the steer into hamburger to be distributed to clients of Hebron Country Food Pantry.   Our clients are very grateful for this wonderful meat.  We appreciate your assistance with the processing fees. 
 
Hebron is a small town of around 3,000 residents.  There are two low income housing units and two mobile home parks within our zip code.  Statics show that 17.3% of residents of Hebron live at the poverty level.  36.6% of the children under 6 and 35.6% of the children 6 to 11 years old live at the poverty level.  In May of 2013 Hebron Country Pantry had 55 household assists.  Now we are assisting an average of 160 households each month.  So you can see the need is growing in our community.
 
We are very blessed to have the support of the community groups, individuals, churches, the school and organizations such as yours.  We are also a USDA client choice pantry and receive products through the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana. We are also blessed with over fifty volunteers from the community. 
 
Thank you for your assistance with the processing of the steer and for all your organization does to help fight hunger!

Roasted Italian Venison Sausages with Grapes and Balsamic Vinegar and Spring Onion Mashed Potatoes
by Bobbie Jo Wasilko
He Hunts She Cooks

The key to making this dish really amazing relies on using the best balsamic vinegar available. I always use Bistro Blends Heirloom
​Balsamic Vinegar http://www.bistroblends.com 

Sausage Ingredients

• 1-1/2 pounds (3 links) **hot Italian venison sausage links
• 1-1/2 pounds (3 links) sweet or mild Italian venison sausage links
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2-1/2 pounds red and/or green seedless grapes, stemmed (6 to 7 cups)
• 1/3 cup Bistro Blends Heirloom Balsamic vinegar (could also add a 1/4 cup port wine or pomegranate molasses with the vinegar).

Spring Onion Mashed Potatoes Ingredients

• 4 Medium sized Russet Potatoes
• 2 Heaping Tbs. Minced Garlic (about 2 cloves)
• 1 Stick of Sweet Cream Butter
• 1/3 cup Heavy Cream
• 3 Spring Onions, minced, including green and white parts
• Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a medium simmer.
2. Prick the sausages with the tip of a knife or a metal skewer and add them to the water.
3. Simmer the sausages gently for 8 minutes, then drain them and set aside.
4. Melt the butter in a large roasting pan over low heat. Add the grapes to the pan and toss to coat them with the butter. With tongs transfer the parboiled sausages to the pan and push them down into the grapes so that the sausages will not brown too quickly.
5. Roast the sausages and grapes in the preheated oven, turning the sausages once, until the grapes are soft and the sausages have browned, 20 to 25 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the sausages only to a serving platter.
6. Place the roasting pan on top of the stove over a medium-high heat and add the balsamic vinegar to the grapes. Stir to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan and cook on high heat until the vinegar and juices until they are thick and syrupy, about 2 minutes.
7. Pour the sauce over the sausages and grapes and serve immediately, accompanied with mashed potatoes.
8. **Use moderate to hot Italian sausages, as their fennel and garlic flavors are essential to this dish.

Directions for Spring Onion Mashed Potatoes

1. Peel and cube the potatoes and add them to a pot with water and 1 tbs. kosher salt and boil until just fork tender.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, add the stick of butter, minced garlic and cream to a large coffee mug or microwave safe measuring cup. Warm for only 30 seconds on high in the microwave (you just want to warm the butter and cream slightly). Remove the mug and place near the stove to continue to steep the garlic. Or you can place the ingredients in a small pot and turn the burner to the lowest setting while the potatoes boil.
3. Drain the potatoes and pour the warm butter, garlic cream mixture over top and mash. Add the spring onions and mix another minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Serve with Venison Sausages and pour some balsamic syrup over top.

Danny’s Brownie Obsession
by Bobbie Jo Wasilko
He Hunts She Cooks

Danny is obsessed with brownies, but I don’t always have time to make them from scratch, so here is a semi-homemade version.

Brownies

• 2 Boxes Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie Mix
• 4 Eggs
• 1 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 cup Water
• 1/2 cup King Arthur Flour brand Black Cocoa (optional)

Pretzel Base

• 3 cups Mini Pretzels, crushed (Reserve some whole for plating)
• 3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
• 3/4 cup Butter, melted
• 3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda

Caramel Topping for Brownies

• 1 can Nestle La Lechera Dulce De Leche (caramel)
• 5 tbs. Heavy Cream

Additional Items

• A second can of Nestle La Lechera Dulce De Leche (caramel)
• 5 additional tablespoons of heavy cream
• 1 can Redi-Whip
• 1/4 cup Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Syrup
• 1 Wooden Skewer
• Ice Cream, if desired

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the Pretzel Base

1. Crush pretzels in a zip lock bag
2. Pour the pretzels into a bowl and add the brown sugar, flour, baking soda and mix
3. Add the melted butter over the dry ingredients and mix
4. Pour the pretzel base into a large cake pan which has been lined with parchment paper, or greased
5. Bake the pretzel crust for about 10 minutes then remove the pan and set aside.

For the Brownie Batter

1. Make the brownies according to the box instructions and add the black cocoa to the brownie mix if using
2. Pour the brownie batter over the pre-baked pretzel crust.

For the Caramel Topping

1. Add the can of caramel to a microwave safe cup along with 5 tbs. heavy cream and heat for about 30 seconds
2. Stir the caramel and cream until the caramel is melted and loose
3. Pour the caramel over the brownie batter and swirl lightly with a butter knife to marbleize (do not over mix)
4. Place the brownies in the oven and bake 30-45 minutes (2 boxes took 45 minutes total)
5. Remove the brownies from the oven and cool completely, about 3 hours.

To Plate the Brownies

1. Grab the parchment paper and lift out the brownies, if using, otherwise leave the brownies in the pan
2. Use a 4 inch metal ring mould to cut out round brownie shape ( you may omit this step and just cut out a square) and set aside
3. Heat the second can of dulce de leche (caramel) and add 5 tbs. heavy cream and heat for about 30 seconds to loosen the caramel
4. Spoon a small circle of warm caramel in the center of a plate (about 4 tablespoons full)
5. Use the back of the spoon in the caramel to make the circle a bit larger
6. Place a large dot of Hershey’s syrup in the center of the caramel, and make 3 rings with syrup around the caramel, working from the inside to the outside
7. Use the blunt end of a wooden skewer to make small circles going around the caramel and chocolate syrup to make a marble effect in the sauces
8. Top the swirled sauces with the brownie
9. Top the brownie with Redi Whip and two miniature pretzels
10. Serve with ice cream if desired

The Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) venison donation ministry distributed 714,000 servings of nutritious meat to local food banks and ministries to help feed needy children, families and individuals over the past year.

​Donations included over 89 tons of deer, elk and livestock from generous hunters and farmers bringing the total number of meat servings donated, processed and distributed through the organization to 20.2 million since 1997.
 
“We are so thankful that the Lord has used this ministry to enable hunters and farmers to provide meat for over 20 million meals to their hungry neighbors,” said FHFH Executive Director Josh Wilson.  “And we are grateful for the local butcher shops, financial supporters and volunteers across the country who make this program possible.”
 
Financial support and grant funding from individuals, businesses, churches, other organizations and foundations enable FHFH to pay participating local butcher shops a discounted rate to process and package donated deer and livestock.  The meat is then distributed to local food banks, feeding programs and ministries at no cost to help feed the needy of their communities.
 
​Inspired by a passion for the outdoors and compassion for the needy, FHFH is committed to addressing the problem of hunger across America.  With volunteers and participating local butcher shops serving in over 20 states, FHFH enables hunters and farmers to provide protein-rich meat to local feeding programs and ministries in a unique and relevant way.
 
The organization welcomes new financial supporters and volunteers 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 about the ministry.

Nick in Ohio recently shared this inspiring story with us. Last Thanksgiving Nick’s 11 year old son Kyler shot his first buck.  Shortly afterward that day Nick also shot a buck.  Nick said Kyler has such a giving heart that he decided to donate his deer to FHFH.  Nick felt compelled to donate his deer as well so they took both deer to one of our FHFH participating butcher shops – Sunset Meat Market in Piqua, Ohio.  When they donated their deer the butcher thanked them and congratulated Kyler on his first buck.

We sent Nick and Kyler several FHFH hats and an FHFH news magazine.  Kyler was surprised and said, “I want to donate all of my deer to them!”  Nick thought he was just excited by the hats, but was humbled to learn Kyler had been motivated by the stories in our news magazine.  According to Kyler, “We can feed a lot more families with our deer!”

THANK YOU SO MUCH Nick and Kyler for donating your bucks to help feed the people 
​in your community struggling with hunger.

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, promote the value of “venison for the hungry” efforts to the general public, and continue supporting the network of FHFH chapter coordinators.

“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 20 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.

“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   ​

​Since 1997 FHFH has been fighting to provide freedom from hunger for people across the United States. Together we’ve helped hunters and farmers donate over 20 MILLION servings of meat for people in need. FHFH pays the meat processing costs for deer or livestock donated to FHFH’s participating meat processors. The processed meat is packaged and distributed at no charge to food banks, food pantries and feeding ministries to help those who don’t have enough food for their families.

Sincerely,

​
 

Josh Wilson
Executive Director

Shish Ka-Bobbie Jo
by Bobbie Jo Wasilko
He Hunts She Cooks

Serves 4

This is hands down my favorite shish kabob made my way, so I decided to name it after myself. lol For the best flavor, marinate the venison no less than 24 hours. I suggest you use a dry aged top butt or backstrap for the most tender cut and cook it no more than rare to medium-rare.

Prep Time:  24 hr 30 min
Cook Time:  3 min
Total Time: 24 hr 33 min

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. Dry Aged Venison Top Butt or Backstrap (substitute elk, moose, antelope)
• 2-8 oz. Packages Whole White Mushrooms
• 2 Large White Onions
• 4 Sweet Bell Peppers (red, yellow, or orange)
• 1-1/4 cups Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup Soy Sauce
• 1/3 cup Lemon Juice
• 2 tbs. Minced Garlic
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 tsp. Black Pepper

Instructions

• Cut top butt or backstrap into 2 inch pieces and place in a large zip lock bag.
• Add whole mushrooms to the bag.
• Add the olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, bay leaves and pepper, and seal closed.
• Place the bag in a large bowl (in case the bag leaks), and refrigerate no less than 24 hours.
• The next day, remove the meat/mushrooms from the fridge 1 hour before grilling.
• Cut up the bell peppers, and onions into 2 inch pieces.
• Soak wooden skewers (if using), in warm water for 30 minutes.
• Skewer the meat, mushrooms, peppers and onions alternating between the meat and vegetables.
• Place on a hot grill and cook for no more than 3 minutes (or rare to medium-rare).
• Serve with rice flavored with cumin powder or other side dish of your choice.

Sam’s Club #8215 in Springfield, Illinois recently awarded a $500 grant to Central Illinois FHFH.  

Craig Walker, Coordinator for Central Illinois FHFH, presented one of the store’s managers, Cody Frederick, with a certificate of appreciation.

We thank Sam’s Club #8215 in Springfield for helping  FHFH feed the people in their community who are in need!