Columbiana County Chapter
The Columbiana County Chapter of Farmers and Hungers Feeding the Hungry is reminding hunters to donate deer to the Community Action Agency and the County Dept. of Job and Family Services food pantries. The venison will be given to needy families via the CCDJFS and CAA food pantries. 80 deer were donated during the 2007/08 deer season. These deer provided 2,770 packages of venison that was distributed to 1,160 Columbiana County households comprised of 3,440 people.
Deer must be processed by an Ohio Dept. of Agriculture approved meat processing plant. The processing fee is paid by the Northeastern Ohio Chapter of Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry, so there is no cost to the hunter other than time and fuel to take the deer to the processor. Hunters cannot donate deer that they have butchered themselves. Deer can be taken to the following meat processors:
Gateway Farm & Freezer, 1522 Mt. Jackson Road, Enon Valley, PA at 724/667-6501. Gateway will accept deer Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Gateway is closed on Sundays.
Horst Packing, 3535 Renkenberger Road, Columbiana, Ohio at 330/482-2997. Horst will accept deer from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Saturday. Horst is closed on Sundays.
Leetonia IGA, 30 Hazel Street, Leetonia, Ohio at 330/427-6143. Leetonia IGA will accept deer from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Winona Frozen Foods, 4955 Whinnery Road, Winona, Ohio 44493 at 330/222-1112. Winona will accept deer Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Winona is closed on Sundays.
This project is a collaboration of the Columbiana County Federation of Conservation Clubs, the Columbiana County Dept. of Job and Family Services, the Community Action Agency and the Northeast Chapter of Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry. In 2005 the CAA and the County Dept. of Job and Family Services provided emergency food to a total of 967 households comprised of 2,520 individuals of which 994 were children under age 18. The agencies spent a total of $19,227 to purchase food, mostly from the Second Harvest Foodbank in Youngstown. Meat purchases totaled $5,596 and much of that was purchased locally. Continued high unemployment and a poor regional economy caused the two agencies to ask the County Federation of Conservation Clubs for help in setting up a deer donation program to feed needy people.
Eileen Dray Bardon, CCDJFS Director, notes, “Deer are a renewable resource and an excellent source of protein. The funds we save because of the donated deer can be used for other types of emergency assistance.” Tom Butch, a member of the County Federation of Conservation Clubs believes this program offers hunters who really like to hunt a reason to take an extra deer since the extra deer can be donated to a good cause. “It’s a win-win situation for the hunters, the agencies, and the families they serve. As far as we know, we’re the only Federation in Ohio working with our Community Action Agency and our County Dept. of Job and Family Services to sponsor the Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry program.” said Butch. Once hunting season concludes the program partners will report on the number of deer donated and families provided with the ground venison.
The Ohio Division of Wildlife gave a grant to the national Farmers & Hunters Feeding the Hungry so that any Ohio FHFH chapter can apply for matching funds as it raises money for deer processing. This will be a big help to Ohio FHFH chapters this hunting season. The Ohio Division of Wildlife wants to reduce the deer population in Ohio and helping to cover the costs of processing meat for food pantries is one way to do that.
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