Hunters Feeding Illinois

One in 10 people in Illinois experience hunger every day, including one in eight children.

Hunters Feeding Illinois connects hunters, meat processors, and food pantries to bring lean protein to Illinois residents and families, providing a unique pathway to address and improve food insecurity.

How Does the Program Work?

The process is simple. Hunters donate their harvested deer during hunting season. Partnering meat processors turn harvested deer into ground meat. Food pantries receive ground venison to share with their guests. Along with access to this meat, food pantry guests receive support from the staff of Eat. Move. Save. through recipe tastings, cooking and storage information, and more!

Hunting supports food security, and donating supports local businesses.

Hunters Feeding Illinois, previously known as the Illinois Deer Donation Program, reflects an expanded partnership between Feeding Illinois, Southern Illinois Food Pantry Network, Access Illinois Outdoors, and University of Illinois Extension.

Your donated deer reaches local food pantries.

The ground venison comes frozen.

Eat.Move.Save. staff share venison recipes and cooking and storage information.

Support Our Program

Engage with the program and stay updated on local impacts throughout the season.

Food Pantries Supported

Hunters Feeding Illinois currently supports food pantries serving three regional areas of Illinois.

East-Central Territory: Illinois Extension Partner Counties

Champaign, Clark, Clay, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper, Macon, Moultrie, Piatt, Shelby, Tazewell, and Woodford.

Southern Territory

  • Illinois Extension Partner Counties

    Bond, Clinton, Marion, Jefferson, and Washington.

  • Southern Illinois Food Pantry Network Partnership Counties

    Alexander, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Union,  White, and Williamson.

West-Central Territory: Access Illinois Outdoors Partner Counties

Brown, Schuyler, and Pike Counties.

Map denotes Illinois Extension partnership counties in green, Access Illinois Outdoors partnership counties in orange, and Southern Illinois Food Pantry Network in brown.

Partnering Meat Processors

Support local businesses! Take your harvested, whole deer to a partnering meat processor. Let them know it's for Hunters Feeding Illinois and they'll take care of the rest. We recommend contacting processors before dropping off deer to ensure they have space.