VA is my home state and some of you may have hunted there. i don't have a lot but the people this group helps have even less. i am going to send a donation and i hope that others can do the same. last year we helped MD's FHFH and they are feeding many needy people. our VA neighbors could use our help this year.
Thanks to Gene Mueller - Washington Times for alerting us.
Going broke because of generosity — The Virginia division of Hunters for the Hungry, the people who ask hunters to donate venison to feed the needy, is broke. The Big Island-headquartered organization says it had to stop accepting deer that would have to be properly processed by professional butchers because of financial limitations. To date, Virginia hunters have donated 250,000 pounds (1million servings) of venison, and the hunting season isn't over yet.
Said Laura Newell-Furniss, Hunters for the Hungry program director: "Our best estimate is that we would receive an additional 1,500 to 2,000 deer in the [remaining] three weeks of the season. At an average processing cost of $30 per deer, we would need $45,000 to $60,000 in funds to continue accepting deer. We just do not have the money we need."
How unfair. Good Samaritans go broke because they want to help the poor. For information on the HFTH group, call 800/352-4868.
God Bless and may y'all have a most joyous and safe holiday.
just spoke to Laura @ HFTH. their mailing address for donations is:
HFTH
P.O. Box 304
Big Island, VA 24526
Edited by - MD Hunter Alert on 12/19/2002 08:32:18
Its a good cause MD. I donate to the NJ program. It's a shame that this type of charity gets limited funding. NJ allocates an est.75K which only covers maybe 1250 deer..The politicians running for office this november spent 1 billion...Whats wrong with this picture?
Maybe next year Virginia will follow Maryland's lead and increase the price of hunting licenses to cover these costs. Do these programs have non profit tax status that would encourage corporate donations? Something to look into.
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