Hunters for the Hungry

The Virginia Hunters Who Care, Inc. (Hunters for the Hungry) program was founded in 1991 by David H. Horne. The program accepts deer donated by hunters, farmers protecting crops through damage permits, and through herd management efforts in cities, towns and municipalities to reduce ornamental damage and to enhance public safety around roadways and airports. These deer are then skinned, cut, wrapped, and the meat is frozen by professional processors who enroll to participate with the program. The Hunters for the Hungry then pays all the processing costs associated with the deer donated to its feeding efforts. The processed venison is then given to missions, churches, foodbanks and food pantries in the Lynchburg and surrouding areas and throughout Virginia at no cost to them. This allows them to provide this protein resource to their clients, especially children and the elderly, for healthy diets to assist in brain development and the maintenance of healthy bones. Additionally, this donated product which comes to them at no cost assists with their already strained budgets. This has been especially valuable to these programs throughout the COVID 19 pandemic. In addition to helping to effectively manage the white tailed deer populations the program is instrumental in helping feeding and distribution programs in Lynchburg and throughout Virginia providing an essential lean red meat for the diets of men, women, children, the elderly, the homeless, and veterans who face hunger each day. Currently one out of every 8 families in Virginia is impacted by hunger and nearly 50% of those being impacted by hunger are children. There are over one million emergency meals served in Virginia every month! Currently the program is processing venison for $1.25 per pound which equates to .3125 cents per quarter pound serving. The program goal is to process and distribute 225,000 pounds of venison annually which will provide 900,000 quarter pound servings. For every dollar the program is blessed with as a gift or that is raises it can process and distribute 3.2 servings to someone who is hungry.