Regarding the letter about the Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger program by Karen G. Chessman (Voice, April 2):
As program coordinator, I would like to inform the public how the program operates. Hunters who wish to donate their harvest to the program take their deer to participating meat processors, who grind the venison into two-pound packages. The meat processors are responsible for contacting a food bank or charity to pick up the meat.
To assist with the processing costs of the donated deer, sportsmen’s groups and individuals make contributions through the non-profit Illinois Conservation Foundation. These donations come from people who understand the importance of providing nutritious meals to those in need.
During the 1996-97 deer season, the public donated $3,500 to the Sportsmen Against Hunger program and hunters donated nearly 11,000 pounds of venison. The food banks and charities involved in the program greatly appreciated receiving the protein-rich meat, so often lacking in their clients’ diets.
