CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WVDN) — The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) today announced that Gov. Patrick Morrissey has declared November to be Wild Game Meat Donation Month in West Virginia.
The proclamation recognizes hunting as a tradition in West Virginia and highlights its role in increasing food security through the WVDNR’s Hunters Helping the Hungry program (HHH).
“Hunting in West Virginia is an important part of who we are as a people,” said Gov. Morrissey. “Our hunters not only take great pride in putting food on their own tables, but also demonstrate remarkable generosity by donating their harvests to help other families in need. Wild Game Meat Donation Month is a time to celebrate that tradition of giving and the difference it makes across our state.”
Click here to read the full text of Gov. Morrissey’s proclamation.
According to Feeding America, more than 277,000 West Virginians, including one in five children, struggle with food insecurity. The WVDNR and the state’s hunting community play a vital role in addressing this need through the HHH program, which has facilitated the processing of more than 1 million pounds of donated venison and provided more than 1.5 million meals to families in need since its launch in 1992.
“Year after year, our hunting community represents the very best of West Virginia,” said WVDNR Director Brett McMillion. “By contributing to wildlife conservation and sharing their harvests with families in need, West Virginia hunters demonstrate their importance as both stewards of our natural resources and as caring neighbors. I want to thank Gov. Morrissey for recognizing these contributions and for bringing well-deserved attention to the Hunters Helping the Hungry program and our generous hunting community.”
Hunters who wish to donate a deer to the HHH program may take it to a participating meat processor, where it will be ground, packaged and frozen. The Mountaineer Food Bank in Gassaway and Facing Hunger Foodbank in Huntington collect donated venison and distribute it to more than 600 food pantries, soup kitchens, senior centers, shelters and other charitable organizations across the state.
To donate financially, find a list of processors and learn more about the program, visit WVdnr.gov/hunters-helping-the-hungry.
For deer hunting season dates, bag limits and other regulations, hunters should consult the West Virginia Hunting Regulations Summary, available to download at WVdnr.gov/hunting-regulations. To purchase a hunting license, visit WVhunt.com.
