10/29/2009
SOUTH CHARLESTON,W.Va.- The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) invites allWest Virginiahunters, churches, and the general public to help supportDNR’s charitableHunters Helping the Hungry(HHH) Program, according toDNR’s HHH Program CoordinatorJerry Westfall. The HHH Program allows hunters to donate legally-harvested deer to certified processors so the meat can be donated to soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, senior centers, missions, churches, and community centers around the state. The HHH program has been highly successful since it began in 1992, providing more than 925,000 meals to the neediest ofWest Virginians. However, because of processing and distribution costs, the program also requires cash donations to benefit these needy individuals.
Since 1999, theWest Virginia Council of Churcheshas sponsored theShare the Harvest Sundayto raise funds for the HHH Program.This year, on Sunday, Nov. 1, approximately 3,000 churches will be asking members of their congregationto contribute $1, $5, or whatever they can afford to the HHH Program.
“Many churches around the state have received a personalized letter asking them for voluntary donations from their congregation during this Sunday,” noted Westfall.“However because our database may not include every church in the state, we ask any church not receiving this solicitation letter to consider taking up an offering for the HHH Program. This donation can be mailed directly to the HHH Program. Churches can take up an offering any time, not justShare the Harvest Sunday, and submit this at a later date.
“The general public can also submit monetary donations to HHH Program at any time,” noted Westfall.“We accept these donations throughout the year. Without the continued financial assistance of churches, hunters and the general public, together with the generous deer donations of some hunters, this program can not continue. Because the HHH Program can not use sportsmen’s license dollars to pay for processing/distribution costs, it is entirely dependent on monetary donations, together with some grant funding.It is rewarding to know your donations are directly benefiting the neediest ofWest Virginiansby providing them with highly nutritious meals.”
To make a monetary donation to the HHH Program, please visit onlinewww.wvdnr.gov/Hunting/HHH.shtmor callBillie Shearerat 304-558-2771;billieshearer@wvdnr.gov.Hunters can also consult the Web site for certified processor locations around the state.For HHH Program general information consult the Web site or contact the Program Coordinator,Jerry Westfall, at 304-558-2771;jerrywestfall@wvdnr.gov.
Contact Information
Jerry Westfall
304-558-2771
jerrywestfall@wvdnr.gov