Hunters Feeding Illinois could be entering final year amid funding cuts

ILLINOIS (WCIA) — A program that helps provide protein to Illinois residents and families is exploring what its future may look like as funding runs dry due to federal budget cuts.

Hunters Feeding Illinois is returning for its fourth season, but organizers said one of its major partners may need to end programming after the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

University of Illinois Extension SNAP-Education is the originator of Hunters Feeding Illinois. In a news release, the U of I Extension said that while federal funding for the SNAP-Ed program officially ends on Sept. 30, scaled back programming will continue through fall 2025 or January 2026.

Some of the funding for the SNAP-Ed program helped pay for staff to run Hunters Feeding Illinois. They were responsible for organizing the program, finding and writing grants to reimburse the meat processors and more. Previously, WCIA reported that with the elimination of SNAP-Ed and Eat.Move.Save., more than 200 people are losing their jobs.

Kaitlyn Streitmatter, Senior Manager of Policy Systems and Environment for Illinois SNAP-Education, said that while they have funding for this year, they’re looking into other funding opportunities for the future.

Hunters Feeding Illinois connects hunters, meat processors, and food pantries to help provide access to lean protein for Illinois residents and families. Food pantries in 50 Illinois counties are participating in the program this year.

“Around 1 in 8 people in Illinois struggle to access food, with rates higher in two-thirds of the program coverage area,” Michelle Fombelle, SNAP-Ed educator, said in a news release. “Protein foods are expensive, and Hunters Feeding Illinois makes it possible for Illinois individuals and families to stretch their food budget.”

Hunters can donate deer at multiple locations throughout the state. This includes:

• River Bend Wild Game & Sausage Company – St. Joseph
• Moweaqua Packing Plant – Moweaqua
• Connelly Locker – Martinsville
• Oconee Chop Shop – Oconee
• Howe’s Custom Deer Processing – Cowden
• Lambdin Farms Processing – Sullivan
• Windy Ridge Processing – Shobonier
• Blair’s Slaughtering and Processing – Louisville
• Salt and Strings Butchery – Louisville
• Birkner’s Processing – McLeansboro
• Sanchez Meat Processing – DuQuoin
• Shirley Farms Deer Processing – DeSoto
• Triple C Meats – Anna
• Turasky Meats – Springfield
• Midstate Meats – Springfield
• Charlie’s Deer Processing – Bridgeport
• Legacy Meats – Sumner
• Bittners Meat Company – Eureka
• Fred’s Meat and Processing – Ashley

Last year, Hunters Feeding Illinois distributed 25,794 pounds of frozen, ground venison to food pantries across the state. This provided an estimated 97,000 meals, reaching almost 50,000 families

Hunters Feeding Illinois is organized by Feeding Illinois, Access Illinois Outdoors, Southern Illinois Food Pantry Network, and University of Illinois Extension SNAP-Education. If you are interested in donating to the program, visit Hunters Feeding Illinois online.