Center for Population Health Local Food Systems Coordinator Nan McNinney will once again be working with participating Hunters Sharing the Harvest (HSH) processors to deliver venison to food distribution locations in Cambria County.

McNinney is encouraging hunters to participate in Hunters Sharing the Harvest by donating their deer and helping families in need.

“Millions of dollars in crops are damaged every year due to overpopulation of deer,” said McNinney. “This program provides a valuable source of low-fat protein to our neighbors.”

Hunters Sharing the Harvest is Pennsylvania’s venison donation program for hunters who want to share their extra venison. Cambria County has a rich deer hunting history, and for many aging individuals, going out and getting their own deer is no longer a possibility; however, receiving venison still is.

“Families in our community benefitted greatly from the Hunters Sharing the Harvest last season,” said Theresa Wolf, a community member with Pleasant Hill Church in Middle Taylor Township. “In a time when grocery prices are rising rapidly, families were able to utilize the highly nutritional venison to stretch their grocery budgets and feed their children and families healthy, protein rich, and delicious meat. It was a major blessing to be able to serve as a distribution point for the Harvest Share– it even provided an opportunity to connect with neighbors and promote social interaction among neighbors as folks came to pick up meat. This was a great benefit to mental and physical health for our wonderful community.”

Last year, McNinney successfully connected seven Cambria County food distribution sites to HSH processors. The connections resulted in over 11,000 pounds (5.5 tons) of ground venison being delivered to local food distributions and into the hands of people in need.

Participating butchers that service Cambria County include K&G Deer (Ebensburg), Thomas Smoked Meats (Somerset), Fenton Meats (Indiana), and Weimer’s Custom Meats (Westmoreland).

If you would like more information on Hunters Sharing the Harvest or to learn more about donating your deer, visit HSH (sharedeer.org).