With most huntable wildlife populations on the rise, annual donations of wild game meat and fish to those in need have increased. Since Safari Club International started the Sportsmen Against Hunger program in 1989, tens of millions of meals have been served at local soup kitchens, food banks, or other charitable organizations, such as The Salvation Army. Donations continue to increase each year. In 2007, 377,328 pounds of wild game meat were donated to relief organizations; in 2008, the figure had jumped to 422,047 lbs. In the 2009 season, we reached 415,039 lbs.--more than 207 tons!

Some hunters take their harvest to a licensed meat processor, pay for the processing themselves, and then donate the meat to the needy. Other hunters choose to share the meat from their freezers throughout the year. Because the demand for low-fat, low-cholesterol, preservative-free, high-protein meat is so great, these offerings by SCI members are vital to the nutritional success of food banks across America and the world.

Through the international network of SCI chapters, several thousand volunteer members and friends continually explore opportunities to feed the hungry. Usually, most SCI members make individual donations.

In July 2007, SCIF hosted a Hunt.Fish.Feed Initiative in conjunction with the Sportsman Channel at the Central Union Mission in Washington, D.C. to feed the homeless. A home-cooked meal of venison (donated by local hunters), potatoes, vegetables and bread was provided, and SCIF made a cash donation of $1,350 to the Central Union Mission. Similar events have been hosted since in New Orleans, New York City, Detroit, Orlando, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Santa Ana, Denver, Houston and Washington D.C., among others.

The SCI Foundation is presently investing $100,000 in a new initiative: the purchase and supply of 50 state-of-the-art Hobart commercial meat grinders for nationwide distribution to well-established relief organizations and soup kitchens to assist them in providing much-needed protein to the hungry.

Each January, the Sportsmen Against Hunger program partners with The Salvation Army to serve full-course meals to the needy and homeless at our annual "Feed The Hungry Feast" in Reno, Nevada, on the eve of the SCI Hunters' Convention. In 2010, we served a record 1,980 meals. (2010 photos)

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