The Illinois Deer Donation Program returns for its third donation season with an exciting new name: Hunters Feeding Illinois. This rebranding reflects an expanded partnership among Feeding Illinois, the Southern Illinois Food Pantry Network, and the University of Illinois Extension, bringing together hunters, meat processors, and food pantries to provide lean protein to Illinois families in need.
Hunters can donate their harvested deer to partnering meat processors, who will then turn the deer into ground venison. This ground meat is distributed to food pantries, where it is shared with guests who are experiencing food insecurity. In addition to receiving the nutritious meat, food pantry guests benefit from the support of the staff of Eat. Move. Save. through recipe tastings, cooking tips, storage information, and more.
Join the Match
Thanks to the collaboration with Feeding Illinois, your donations will be doubled dollar for dollar! For example, a $50 donation becomes $100, covering the processing of one deer. In the 2023 season alone, the program successfully processed more than 300 deer, providing over 12,000 pounds of venison to food-insecure neighbors across Illinois.
To learn more about the program, find a list of partnering meat processors, and explore ways to donate, visit go.illinois.edu/deerdonation. Be sure to follow the program on Facebook to see local impact throughout the season and join in this important effort to help families in need!