Thanks to legislation sponsored and passed by Rep. Cyrier, Texas hunters have the opportunity to make a donation to the Hunters for the Hungry program when purchasing their hunting licenses. This program allows hunters to donate legally-tagged and field dressed deer to hunger relief programs to help feed Texans in need. Hunters can donate their deer through any participating meat processor, which will process the meat for a nominal fee. Meat is then distributed to Texans in need through participating hunger relief agencies.

During the legislation’s inaugural year in 2016, Hunters for the Hungry collected more than $88,000 in donations from hunters to offset deer processing fees for nearly 50,000 pounds of venison.

Having served on the Board of Directors for the Central Texas Food Bank, and an avid hunter, Rep. Cyrier knows the value of this program in providing a much-needed source of lean protein to our neighbors who lack food security, The 2017-2018 hunting season brought approximately 379, 000 meals to hungry Texans through the Hunters for the Hungry program. Since its inception the program has distributed around 9.5 million meals.

Hunters for the Hungry helps Texas hunters manage the deer population while also meeting a critical community need. Statistics show that one-in-six Texas families struggle with food insecurity. By donating to Hunters for the Hungry when you purchase a hunting license, and donating meat through a participating processor, you will directly impact the lives of Texas children, seniors, and families in need. To learn more, donate, or find a participating meat processor, visit www.feedingtexas.org.