URBANA, Ill. — At a time when grocery costs are high, Hunters Feeding Illinois distributed 366 pounds of lean protein to food pantries across Illinois during the 2026-26 hunting season. This provided an estimated 128,900 meals in 48 counties. The donated venison has an estimated retail value of more than $320,000, based on USDA averages for nutritionally similar protein, helping food pantries stretch limited resources while increasing access to healthy, lean meat.
“This program has been a blessing to our food pantry,” said a pantry manager with Catholic Charities of Effingham. “With the rising cost of groceries, the venison has been a huge hit with families. Some guests even ask for it specifically when they come in.”
As a program within the Illinois Farm to Food Bank, Hunters Feeding Illinois is a collaborative initiative in partnership with Feeding Illinois, Southern Illinois Food Pantry Network, Access Illinois Outdoors, and University of Illinois Extension to create a statewide system.
Hunters Feeding Illinois connects hunters, meat processors, and food pantries to support access to lean protein for Illinois residents and families. Hunters donate legally harvested, tagged deer to participating local meat processors, who prepare and package the venison for distribution to nearby food pantries. Food pantries in 48 Illinois counties are participating in the program this year.
“We thank the hunters who donated 1,129 deer and the 24 meat processors who prepared and packaged the ground venison,” says Michelle Fombelle, Extension educator. “With the high cost of groceries, including meat, we are proud to increase access to lean protein across Illinois.”
Join the Donation Match
Thanks to a collaboration with Feeding Illinois, all donations to Hunters Feeding Illinois are doubled dollar for dollar. A $50 donation becomes $100, which covers the cost of processing one deer. Donate online at go.illinois.edu/deerdonation.
Follow along on Facebook, join the email list, or visit go.illinois.edu/deerdonation for recipes, videos, and more program information. Have questions or are interested in supporting the program? Email Huntersfeeding-IL@illinois.edu.
SOURCE: Michelle Fombelle, Extension educator, University of Illinois Extension
WRITER: Kaitlyn Streitmatter, health and community wellness policy systems and environment senior manager, University of Illinois Extension
EDITOR: Herbert Chavez, media communications coordinator, University of Illinois Extension
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 500 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through five program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, health and community wellness, and natural resources, environment, and energy.