More than 27,000 pounds of venison was collected during the Share the Harvest program, sponsored in Mid-Missouri by the Central Missouri Chapter of Safari Club International.
A total of 469 whole deer and several partial deer were donated, which is the second largest amount of venison donated in the 11 years the chapter has been a local sponsor of the program. That's equal to a 14 percent increase from 2010.
"We are so thankful for the venison donations by deer hunters in this area for it comes at a time when there is a great need for food by charities in central Missouri," said Earl Cannon, coordinator of the program for the SCI chapter.
The Conservation Federation of Missouri and the Central Missouri Chapter of SCI paid the processing cost for whole deer donations.
Donations by processing plant include: Russellville Locker, Russellville - 5,270 pounds; Hartman's Custom Meat Processing, New Bloomfield - 3,245 pounds; Crane's Meat Processing, Ashland - 5,520 pounds; R & R Processing, Auxvasse - 4,080 pounds; Clennin's Meats, California - 1,680 pounds (Plant was destroyed by fire early in season); Swiss Meat & Sausage Co., Hermann - 2,440 pounds; Mexico Meat & Produce, LLC, Mexico - 5,400 pounds.
The distribution of venison to the charities served thus far includes: Serve, Inc., Fulton - 2,938 pounds; First United Methodist Church Food Pantry, Jefferson City - 270 pounds; New Life Evangelistic Center, Jefferson City, New Bloomfield, Columbia - 480 pounds; California United Methodist Church Food Pantry, California - 1,920 pounds; Samaritan Center, Jefferson City - 1,680 pounds; Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri, Columbia - 5,520 pounds; The Salvation Army, Jefferson City - 3,000 pounds; Oak Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, New Bloomfield - 960 pounds; The Help Center, Mexico - 5,400 pounds; Helping Hands Outreach Center of Gasconade County, Owensville and Hermann Community Food Pantry, Hermann - 2,440 pounds; Hope House, Lake Ozark - 1,200 pounds; First Baptist Church Food Pantry, Guthrie - 1,080 pounds; and Eldon Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry - 360 pounds.