HARRISBURG — John Plowman considers Pennsylvania deer hunters as a whole a very special group of people.
Plowman is the Pennsylvania State Coordinator for Hunters Sharing the Harvest, the statewide organization that since 1991 has been the source for those who wish to donate a deer — or a portion of a deer — to help feed the needy. Each year HSH sets a goal of collecting 100,000 pounds of venison to be turned into ground meat to supply to community organizations for distribution to food banks and individuals in need.
The venison from processed deer in Schuylkill County is donated to the Schuylkill Community Action program for distribution by executive director Ted Dreisbach and operations specialist Jason Schally. Prior to SCA becoming the centralized distribution agency, Schuylkill County HSH coordinator Jim O’Brien of Minersville said that many in need of receiving the meat were not even aware of the program.
“Currently, Dave Stevenosky of U.E. Butcher Shop, Pottsville, and Mease Meats, Pine Grove, remain the only Schuylkill processors participating in the program, and we’re always looking for butcher shops to become involved,” O’Brien said. “Before we began turning the meat, which is packaged in frozen, one-pound packs, those seeking to receive meat donations had to contact the butcher shops to make arrangements for pickup.
“Unfortunately, it was surprising how few of those in need knew about Hunters Sharing the Harvest and that the meat was available. We were getting good participation from the hunters, but it was frustrating that many times meat that we wanted to donate in the county had to be donated elsewhere simply because people were unaware it was available.
“All of that has changed since Schuylkill Community Action has become involved, and it has the contacts and resources to supply the various food pantries. As successful as the program is at the local level, we believe we could do even more, but for that to happen we need more processors to contact us.”
According to Plowman, statewide donations of deer for 2014 represents one of the finest efforts by Pennsylvania’s deer hunters. Although the Pennsylvania Game Commission estimated hunter success was 15 percent less than that of 2013, final reports from the approximately 100 butchers participating in HSH statewide indicate the annual goal of 100,000 pounds of venison fell less than 3,000 pounds short despite the significant drop in deer taken.
“For the 2014-15 hunting seasons, hunters donated more than 2,400 deer, and that translates into more than 97,000 pounds of ground venison burger for distribution to food banks and pantries,” Plowman said. “Now, what 97,000 pounds actually represents is 450,000 meals to shelters and needy families to make everything from spaghetti sauce, to hamburgers to meatloaf.
“Typically, a mature deer yields as many as 200 meals of ground burger, which is more adaptable for a wide range of uses and recipes than all other cuts. Ground venison is a versatile, high-protein, low-fat and nutritious food that is, in many cases, the only red meat available to some struggling families facing food insecurity.
“There are 1.4 million families in the state of Pennsylvania in need of assistance, but for Hunters Sharing the Harvest to become even more effective we need more participation. Currently, we have no meaningful or effective outreach infrastructure in many pockets of the state, including Montour, Northumberland and Snyder counties.”
Until last year hunters who donated a deer were asked to pay a $15 fee to help defray the processing fee, which most hunters willingly paid. Now, however, that fee is waived because of funding support from the PGC, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Consol Energy, Richard King Mellon Foundation, Wal-Mart, Pennsylvania chapters of Safari Club International, the Marcellus Shale Coalition and many of its industry member companies and more than 50 other business and organizations.
Plowman said the biggest ongoing need for HSH within Pennsylvania is attracting new sponsorship and partner support to further defray processing costs and continue to build the network of meat processors, local coordinators and media contacts in underserved counties. Non-hunters can also become involved by making donations of non-perishable food and cash to help with the cost of grinding the venison into burger and packaging it by meat processors.
Schuylkill County HSH Facts
• Meat processors: Mease Meats, 68 Sawmill Road, Pine Grove, Pa. 17963, (570) 345-2586; U.E. Butcher Shop, 1722 West End Ave., Pottsville, Pa. 17901, (570) 294-2252
• Coordinators: Jim O’Brien, Minersville, (570) 544-4640; Doyle Dietz, Deer Lake, (570) 366-1764
• Information: Facebook — Hunters Sharing the Harvest Schuylkill County; HSH website — www.sharedeer.org