Maine's Hunters for the Hungry Program is looking for hunters and processors to join its effort to reduce food insecurity in the state.
Hunters can donate game meat to a registered processor who will prepare it for food pantries that have freezer space to store the donations.
Gus Nelson, Director of The Emergency Food Assistance Program said last year 23,000 pounds was donated to 240 pantries throughout the state. Nelson said that is the equivalent of about 100,000 meals.
"Food pantries love to get protein. It's lean and it's delicious. Food pantries love to get this type of donation. They are so busy, the food is in and out quickly," Nelson said.
Hunters must provide the deer, bear or moose already dressed to the processor. Hunters for the Hungry covers the processing fee, which is about 2 dollars a pound.
"We'd like to grow our network of processors. There's about 50 in the state but only 25 registered with our program. Processing is hard work, and the processors are aging out," Nelson said. "In the meantime, we want to get as many of them on our program as possible."
The game cannot be from a Do Not Eat Advisory Area, such as Fairfield or Skowhegan where PFAS is in the environment.