News release

Hunters Helping the Hungry

Natural Resources (to July 2018)

Hunters are helping feed the hungry by giving to food banks across the province.

This is the fifth year for the Hunters Helping the Hungry program, through which hunters help feed hungry families by donating deer and moose meat.

"This is a great example of how government can work with organizations like Feed Nova Scotia and individuals to make life better for families in every region," said Natural Resources Minister John MacDonell. "I want to sincerely thank the hunters who are making a significant difference through their donations."

"With so many families turning to food banks for support each month, programs like this are extremely important. A single kilogram of deer meat provides eight servings of protein. For a family who struggles with hunger and poverty, this can make the world of a difference," said Dianne Swinemar, executive director of Feed Nova Scotia.

"Since the program was introduced four years ago, hunters have donated 2,800 kilograms of meat, representing 22,000 servings of protein."

The process is easy. After registering a moose or deer, hunters take the carcass to one of 18 participating, registered meat cutters throughout the province and indicate the amount of meat they would like to donate. Feed Nova Scotia then distributes the meat to 150 member food banks provincewide.

"We are fortunate to live in a country with wildlife populations abundant enough to be harvested," said Tony Rodgers, executive director of Nova Scotia's Federation of Anglers and Hunters.

"A lot of hunters appreciate the opportunity to share this gift with others and they feel good knowing that through even small donations of meat, they can really make a difference."

Hunters Helping the Hungry is a joint initiative of Feed Nova Scotia and the hunting community, in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources, novascotiahunting.com, Eastern Woods and Waters and the Nova Scotia Federation of Anglers and Hunters.

For more information on this program and other ways Feed Nova Scotia is helping hungry families, visit www.feednovascotia.ca .