News & Updates

Get ready to go shopping…we have some new items in our FHFH Gift Store featuring the new FHFH logo design!

You can get great FHFH logo merchandise and help feed the hungry.  All proceeds directly support the mission of Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry.

Josh and Matt Wilson of FHFH attended the 2016 Archery Trade Association (ATA) Show in Louisville, Kentucky at the KY Exposition Center January 5th – 7th. The show provided a great opportunity to thank current industry partners as well as seek the support of many new companies and organizations for FHFH. Support from the hunting and shooting sports industries is critical as FHFH continues its mission of feeding the hungry of our nation through donated meat of deer, elk, and livestock.

Our FHFH coordinator La Rue Ragan in Palo Alto, CA joined with his church (Abundant Life Christian Fellowship) and their local food pantry (The Ecumenical Hunger Program) to help feed over 60 people in their community on Christmas Eve! Check out the story from La Rue along with some wonderful pictures below. This event helps illustrate how FHFH is able to collaborate with other agencies and ministries to take care of needs in the local community!

​We started setting things up at about 3:30 AM and got the smoker going at about 5:00 AM.  There was a constant threat of high wind gusts and sporadic torrential rains. but Grace prevailed and the timing worked out despite having to literally hold the canopies down with our hands until we could get them tied to the fence.  Things did subside and warm up near the middle of the day, which is when the main crowd of RVers or “caravana” showed up, but not before I could collect a hoodie full of rain!
 
Volunteer Frank Friedrich manned the deep fryer and supplied the snow goose breast, which we grilled and served as h’orderves or small side-dish elements.  Hands-down, the goose breast was the unexpected hit of the day in my opinion.  Most of the people had never had goose before and the simple field seasonings that were applied, along with the wood smoked flavoring, made for an outstanding wild game experience. 

Volunteer Henry Alexander provided curb-side service for guests that were physically unable to stand for extended periods of time; we just had them pull their vehicles up a-la drive through style, fixed their plates and brought it to their windows.  Next time I think we may try to talk Henry into trying on a pair of roller skates.  Henry was also our quality control person on the smoker that day.  He kept an eye on the temperature, and fed the fire to insure our birds and ham came out just right.  Elijah, Henry’s son, was also a key part of the food prep.  He helped set up the serving table, mixed the green beans (my special combination), and served guests once the cooking was done.
 
All together we served approximately 60 people.  About eight family groups of various sizes were represented.  Several caravana were parked/camped along the street where we set up that day. Another four families drove up to the serving site between down-pours.  Even as we were cleaning up to go people were still driving up, returning to the area to park and stay over-night.  We also sent one of the smoked turkeys to our local police department to express our gratitude for their support and so that they could also share in the celebration while working Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  Everything was absolutely delicious. There was enough so that everyone could eat their fill and then have a plate to take back with them for Christmas Day.
 
 We must give a huge thank you to the following individuals and organizations for their administrative and material support of this event:
 

• On-site event volunteers:
  • Elijah Alexander
    
  • Henry Alexander
    
  • Frank Friedrich (Special note: Mrs. Friedrich performed the challenging task of picking up Christmas gifts for all the children and seniors in the families that were there).
    
  • La Rue V. Ragan
    
• Elder, Archelle Funie of “Abundant Life Christian Fellowship”, for supplying his professional chef’s gas grill to keep things warmed.
• Ms. Diane Nikfar, of “Raven Works Field Sports Ministry”, for supplying one of the much needed rain canopies.
• Our local Social Services and food pantry- “The Ecumenical Hunger Program” an NGO in East Palo Alto, California for the Pies, cookies, turkeys, and ham.
• Mi Pueblo, our local community super market, supplied an assortment of tamales, re-fried beans, bottled water and soft-drinks. 
• Our local East Palo Alto Public Works Department, Ms. Gloria Galindo, for supplying the trash cans, pre and post event trash collection support.
• East Palo Alto and Menlo Park Fire Departments for providing safety oversight and encouraging community support.
• An extra special thank you to Orchard Supply Hardware of Mountain View California, store managers and employees, for supplying the most excellent smoker, which took care of business old-school country style on all the meats.

 
Above all, we give thanks to God for the awareness, drive, favor, and material resources to conduct this FHFH event.  It was truly a way of to express care and concern for our neighbors as He would expect us to.

Recently several young people in Indiana were recognized for donating their first deer to help feed the hungry through FHFH…

Ken Worman – the FHFH coordinator for Carroll, Cass & Howard Counties – said, “In bow season, I was notified that a 12 year old boy, Wyatt, had harvested his first deer ever and donated it in Cass County. Then opening day of gun season (November 14th), while I was at Simpson’s Deer Processing in Young America promoting FHFH a man asked me, ‘How does my daughter Sara donate her deer?’ I looked down and there stood a cute 13 year old girl with the most awesome smile. She had harvested her first deer ever and wanted to donate it. That is when I realized I was feeling something special – indescribable but totally undeniable – in these two experiences that the Lord provided!”

Wyatt, Sara, and their families gathered in late December at the local Isaac Walton to receive certificates of appreciation from FHFH. Also in attendance was Jason Mitchell of the Emmaus Center who thanked Wyatt and Sarah for their donations and closed the evening with a prayer.

We are excited to announce that FHFH will be the featured on the Mossy Oak Hunting the Country TV show airing the first week of January. In this episode, two young hunters shoot and donate deer to FHFH while learning a wide variety of lessons along the way. CLICK HERE for a preview!

Tune in to the Outdoor Channel on one of the following days and times to see the show…

• Tuesday, January 5th at both 5 PM and 9 PM (airing twice)
• Friday, January 8th at 12:30 AM​

Please help us get the word out by sharing this with your friends and family. Don’t forget to post the dates and times on social media as well! Past television episodes featuring FHFH have introduced our mission to hunters, volunteers, donors and supporters across the nation leading to new chapters and expansion into new areas. 

We are grateful to our long-time ministry partner Mossy Oak and Haas Outdoors for continuing to support our mission by sharing FHFH with their nationwide audience!

We have several great photos to share this week of meat and food distributions from FHFH chapters…

First up we have Carson Saville, coordinator of our North Atlanta Georgia chapter, visiting the Norcross Co-op Ministry Food Bank after they received a supply of ground venison from one of our participating butchers in the area (picture below).

Next we have volunteers from two feeding programs in Wayne County, Ohio picking up frozen ground venison donated by FHFH along with bags of potatoes donated by Canaan Meats. Pictured below from left to right are Doug Ott of Mohican Church of the Brethren, West Salem holding a box of frozen ground venison, Jim Austin of Creston Salvation Army, and Tim Morris, co-owner of Canaan Meats loading a bag of potatoes.

​​So far this year hunters have donated 58 deer to the chapter resulting just shy of 3,000 pounds of ground venison being donated to shelters and food pantries in Wayne County. The deer meat is greatly needed and frequently requested by clients of the the area food pantries. FHFH of Wayne County is very blessed by so many hunters donating deer and individual and business donations to pay the meat processing costs.

Morgan Wright, News Reporter for WHAG, recently interviewed Matt Wilson, FHFH Program and Development Director, about FHFH helping to solve the hunger problem across our nation.

Check out the interview here.

Check out the fantastic new Ram Hunts Hunger video featuring Jason Carter, Koby Fulks, and Eva Shockey talking about why we hunt and the good that we can accomplish by donating part of our harvest to feed those in need through FHFH and other venison donation programs.

This extended video is part of the #RamHuntsHunger campaign launched in early November by Ram Trucks. The campaign helps bring awareness to the issue of hunger in America and the valuable role hunters can play in addressing this problem. Other videos in the campaign series include: Stay Inside, Donate, Landscape and Small.

Joe Crider took up hunting this year.  After completing the Hunters Education Course offered by the Indiana DNR, taking a class in shotgun safety and after spending time setting up stands, walking property and learning as much as he could about hunting, he set up to harvest an animal with the intent to donate the animal to help feed those here in Monroe county.

Congratulations Joe, on a very nice first buck and for the donation.  And those 200 people who will benefit from the meals of high quality venison thank you as well.

INDIANA

• Feeding the hungry: Farmers and hunters work to donate meat to local kitchens, missions – Noblesville, IN
• Radio interview on WHCC Hoosier Country 105.1 – Bloomington, IN (below)

OHIO

• WHIZ TV interview – Southeastern, OH
• Local meat shop aiding charity bringing venison to the hungry – Toledo, OH

MARYLAND

• Farmers and hunters group feeding the hungry – Hagerstown, MD