Hunters for the Hungry had another record year helping needy Virginians receive nearly 200,000 pounds of venison in 1999.
The agency, which is based in Big Island, distributed 182,603 pounds of deer meat last year, a 16-percent increase over the 1998 total. Since its inception in 1991, the group has collected 950,000 pounds of venison, most of which is doled out to Food Banks around the state. The program has provided more than 3.8 million servings of venison.
David Horne, the program's director, said the agency's goal is to top 200,000 pounds of donations in 2000. The agency relies not only on the generosity of hunters, but also on groups that donate money needed to pay for processing the deer. The cost of processing a deer is $30.
For information on Hunters for the Hungry, call (800) 352-4868.