The Galveston County Daily News

SANTA FE — Local hunters can shoot for a good cause by donating meat they don’t eat or use.

All it takes is $30, ice and transportation.

In conjunction with the Texas Hunters for the Hungry program, Doreck and Sons Packing Co. in Santa Fe will process the extra meat before donating it to H.I.S. Ministries. The organization provides meals, among other necessities, for families in need in the Hitchcock-Santa Fe area.

“We don’t always get meat, so when we do it’s really nice,” H.I.S. Ministries Executive Director Vicki Westover said.

Most donations come in canned goods. H.I.S. Ministries, which does not get any government or public funding, usually buys meat with money donated or raised through its resale store.

The organization can sometimes get meat through the Houston Food Bank or via donations from the Galveston County Fair, but it’s not common.

Westover said the recession and damage from Hurricane Ike have made matters worse. H.I.S. Ministries now feeds nearly 500 families a month.

“It’s hard,” Westover said. “So programs like these really help us. It makes our dollar stretch that much further.”

The Hunters for the Hungry program started in 1992, under the direction of The Texas Association of Community Action Agency. It hoped to capitalize on the big recreational activity and sport in Texas.

Many hunters like to go out on numerous occasions but can’t keep all the meat. Instead of letting the food go to waste, the Hunters for the Hungry program thought the meat should be used to feed the hungry.

“Hunting is big in Texas, and meat is the No. 1 thing that’s hard to get for low-income families,” Hunters for the Hungry program coordinator Anitra Hendricks said. “So even if people couldn’t keep all the meat but liked to go out for the sport, they could donate the leftovers for a good cause and not let it go to waste.”

Last year, the organization collected more than 192,000 pounds of meat, 384 of which was processed by Doreck and Sons in Galveston County. Westover estimated that it helped feed 175 to 200 families.

Doreck and Sons charges $30 for a whole animal, which offsets the labor and supply costs needed to properly prepare the meat. Generally, customers must pay $70. Doreck and Sons accepts deer and some wild hog, if it passes inspection. The only requirement is to bring the animal in skinned and on ice.

“When we were approached by the program, we thought it was a great deal,” co-owner John Doreck said. “We decided to donate to H.I.S. Ministries because they were local and had been around a long time helping people here. They’re always real appreciative and it’s a great cause.”

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How To Get Involved

• Visit Doreck and Sons, 4101 FM 646 N., in Santa Fe or call 409-925-6611

• See the requirements and regulations at the Hunters for the Hungry Web site at www.tacaa.org/HFTHhome (monetary donations are accepted) or call 800-992-9767

• To help out at H.I.S. Ministries, visit 4205 Jackson St. in Santa Fe or call 409-925-4697