HAGERSTOWN, Md. -- In the days following Hurricane Katrina’s landfall along the U.S. Gulf Coast, Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) received a number of calls and emails from people wondering if the organization could provide meat to people in areas devastated by the storm. The answer was "yes."

Local FHFH programs are sending much-needed venison to survivors this fall through the FHFH Hurricane Relief Project. Local FHFH programs may designate a portion of their meat donations this hunting season to the Hurricane Relief Project. However, financial contributions are needed as much as meat to cover the costs of processing, packaging, freezing, and transporting the meat to the Gulf Coast region.

FHFH is setting up a route for refrigerated trucks to travel during the coming months. These trucks will pick up meat donated by the local FHFH programs for the Hurricane Relief Project. Collection points (food banks or other locations with adequate freezer space) will be set up along the trucking route. Local FHFH programs will transport the meat they are donating for the project to their nearest collection point. The venison will be delivered to a feeding ministry in the Gulf Coast region that is serving the hurricane survivors.

With generous public support, many tons of nutritious venison will be sent to hungry children and families in devastated areas this fall and winter. For more information or to make a donation to Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry, phone 301-739-3000, email staff@fhfh.org , or visit the organization's website . The Kansas FHFH Chapter may be contacted by phoning 913-724-1189, emailing tonyderossett@fhfh.org , or visiting the chapter website .

-30-