Food Bank for Westchester Asks Local Hunters To Support the Venison Donation Coalition

Sept. 7, 2011 - PRLog -- The Food Bank for Westchester, which has been fighting hunger for over 20 years, hopes local deer hunters will donate money or a deer to the Venison Donation Coalition during the 2011 hunting season. Hunters can donate money when purchasing their hunting license or they can donate a deer. Either way, their contribution will help feed hungry New Yorkers.
    The Venison Donation Coalition was formed in 1999 to fight hunger by linking hunters and deer processors with food banks. It solicits cash and deer donations to deliver processed venison, a low-fat high-protein meat, to the eight food banks in New York State, including the Food Bank for Westchester. Since its founding, the Venison Donation Coalition has processed 337.51 tons of venison, the equivalent of 2,700,800 meals. This year, the coalition is expecting to process 50 tons of donated deer.
    “This is a great way to get high-quality protein to hungry people,” said Christina Rohatynskyj, Executive Director of the Food Bank for Westchester. “Meats are expensive and often out of reach for many people who are struggling to put food on the table. Last year, we received 15,602 lbs. of venison from this program. We are asking hunters to support the Venison Donation Coalition with a cash or deer donation again this year.”  
    Hunters can donate a deer to a participating processor free of charge -- the recipient Food Bank pays the processing fees. Participating processors can be located on the Venison Donation Coalition website at www.venisondonation.org. There is one processor in Westchester: Amato’s in Katonah, (914) 232-4772.
    Hunters can also donate money, which the coalition uses to help food banks cover the cost of processing the venison. Cash donations can be made online at the Venison Donation Coalition website; by mailing a check to the Venison Donation Coalition, 415 W. Morris Street, Bath, NY 14810; or when purchasing a hunting or fishing license where those licenses are sold.
    Rifle, shotgun, and arrow hunting licenses are issued for a fee with strict age and training requirements by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), 625 Broadway, Albany, New York 12233-0001, (518) 402-8845. Licenses can be obtained online at the DEC website, www.dec.ny.gov; they are also available from every city and town clerk, at sporting goods stores and Wal-Mart. The DEC website maintains a list of hunting license sellers by name and location for each county. There are 30 hunting license issuers in Westchester.
    Licenses went on sale for this year on August 15, 2011.

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The Food Bank for Westchester, one of eight food banks in New York State, acquires, warehouses and distributes more than seven million pounds of food annually to over 200 Westchester County hunger-relief organizations, including food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, day care and residential programs. Its mission is to lead, engage and educate Westchester County in creating a hunger-free environment.