The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM) are sending out their thanks to the thousands of Missouri deer hunters who donated venison to the state’s Share the Harvest program.

According to a press release from the MDC, 259,414 pounds of venison was donated, including 4,855 whole deer.

The donated deer meat goes to local food banks and food pantries to help feed hungry Missourians all around the state.

Second Harvest Community Food Bank in St. Joseph is one of the food banks that benefits from Share the Harvest. Second Harvest Chief Development Officer Michelle Fagerstone said the program helps hunters donate surplus venison to those in need.

“A hunter simply takes their deer to an approved meat processor and lets the processor know how much venison they wish to donate,” Fagerstone said. “Then the processor packages the meat and either contacts the charitable agency directly or has a sponsoring organization that delivers the donation to that charitable organization.”

Fagerstone said, through the program, Second Harvest received 1,500 pounds of venison in November that they distributed out to their partner agencies.

“We’re always in need of protein for those that are food insecure. So a program like this that brings in pound packages of high protein, high nutritious food is very easy for us to distribute and it generally comes during the winter time when we have a larger call for people who need help because they have outstanding utility bills they have to contend with, they have higher levels of illness going on,” Fagerstone said. “So when we can supplement our budget with donated protein of this level, it really does help us save money and it helps us get that protein out to those in need.”

For more information about the Share the Harvest program, you can call Second Harvest at (816) 364-3663 or go to the MDC’s website.