Program encourages Alabama hunters to fight hunger

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Hunters across Alabama are encouraged to help fight hunger by donating during deer season.

Hunters Helping the Hungry, or HHH, is a program coordinated by the Alabama Conservation and Natural Resource Foundation. Since 1999, half a million pounds of venison has been donated to food banks across the state through the program.

Donated deer meat is processed into ground venison, packaged and frozen to be distributed to food banks, all at no cost to the hunter.

“All a hunter has to do is drop the deer off at one of the participating processors with a Game Check confirmation number, and the processor takes care of the deer and sends it to the food bank,” Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Commissioner Chris Blankenship, who chairs the ACNR Foundation said. “That’s definitely a win-win for everybody.”

Several processors in the Black Belt participate in the HHH program, including:

Sportman Deer Processing in Montgomery County
Nichols Deer Processing in Dallas County
Richey’s Deer Processing in Hale County
Johns Deer Processing in Lee County
Twin Oaks Deer Processing in Lee County
Ray’s Deer Processing in Lee County

“We want to encourage sportsmen and women to utilize this free program to support the areas in which they go afield,” said Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association Director Pam Swanner. “Providing healthy, organic and ground venison to families in need in Alabama, and especially in the Black Belt, is a powerful way to give back to our communities.”

Blankenship added that the program is a great way to help manage our abundant deer population and take advantage of Alabama’s months-long season and liberal bag limits to provide meat for their own freezer and also help families in need.

For a full list of participating processors, please visit the website. In addition, a list of participating food banks can also be found online at https://www.outdooralabama.com/programs/hunters-helping-hungry.