URBANA, Ill. — Participants in the Hunters Feeding Illinois program delivered 40,712 pounds of ground venison to local food pantries, providing an estimated 122,136 servings to families in need across 48 counties in Illinois during the 2025-2026 hunting season. A total of 1,066 deer were donated, according to the Hunters Feeding Illinois 2025–2026 Impact Report, which reflects significant growth in the University of Illinois Extension program that began with a trial run of 11 Illinois counties during the 2022-2023 hunting season.

“Food access remains a critical issue for many families,” said Rebecca Crumrine, state Extension SNAP-Ed educator. “Venison is an excellent source of lean protein, and thanks to the generosity of hunters and our strong community partnerships, we can provide a healthy, sustainable option for families struggling with food costs.” 

Hunters Feeding Illinois connects hunters, meat processors and food pantries to address food insecurity by turning deer into lean protein for local residents’ consumption. Hunters donate tagged and legally harvested deer to be converted by participating partner processors into frozen ground venison for distribution to food pantries. The program is supported by donors who cover processing costs.

However, “(the) program has been limited to counties that have not had a positive test for chronic wasting disease (CWD),” according to Kaityln Streitmatter, senior manager, Illinois Nutrition Education Programs for the U of I Extension. “If a county with a positive test for CWD would like to participate they would need to prove that the deer does not have CWD prior to (its donation). This is mostly why northern counties have not been included; the testing can take a while and the logistics are complicated.”

CWD is more prevalent in northern Illinois than in downstate counties. The Department of Natural Resources has confirmed positive tests in Cook, Lake, Kendall, Will, McHenry and several other Chicago collar counties in northern Illinois. In all, 25 counties with confirmed infections are listed. 

The fledgling program calls on Illinois Extension SNAP-Education staff to train food pantries on safe handling, distribution, and marketing of venison, as well as provide venison recipes

and nutrition education for pantry guests. In 2024 Extension partnered with Feeding Illinois and Access Illinois Outdoors, as well the Southern Illinois Food Pantry Network. Every dollar donated to the program is matched by Feeding Illinois, helping Hunters Feeding Illinois to expand and reach more families.

In Edwards, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash and Wayne counties, Hunters Feeding Illinois delivered 2,698 pounds of venison to local food pantries, providing an estimated 10,792 servings to families in need. Five food pantries in Lawrence, Richland, and Wabash counties benefitted from 83 donated deer processed by local businesses Charlie’s Deer Processing of Bridgeport and Legacy Meats of Sumner.

According to the pantry manager of Catholic Charities in Effingham, “this program has been a blessing to Effingham Catholic Charities food pantry. The negative impact of the rising cost of groceries has not only affected our community, but also the local food pantries. The meat has been a huge hit with many of the people that visit our pantry; some even ask for it specifically, when they come in! The program has helped the pantry provide well balanced options to food insecure families and we appreciate all of the hard work that goes into the program... from the hunters, processors, and office.”

The program’s 2025 expansion into Tazewell and Woodford counties through a partnership with Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Food System Partners resulted in the donation of 2,408 pounds of ground venison from 35 harvested deer. The venison was processed and packaged by Bittner’s Meat Company in Eureka.

Statewide, the program increased in size and scope from the 2024-2025 hunting season, when 25,794 pounds, or 96,856 servings of venison were donated through 54 food pantries. This represented a retail value of $167,810 (calculated at $6.93 per lb. based on USDA values) from 584 harvested deer. 

The 2025-2026 Impact Report shows that during the ‘25-’26 season, licensed hunters provided 1,066 deer to the Hunters Feeding Illinois program, for a retail value of $282,134 (also calculated at $6.93 lb.).

To find more information about the program or make a monetary donation visit www.feedingillinois.org/hunters-feeding-illinois.