Packages delivered to New Braunfels family

By Craig Nyhus, Lone Star Outdoor News

Programs for hunters willing to donate venison to the less fortunate exist across Texas, but it’s when the meat reaches the home of those who need and appreciate it that is the most rewarding.

With meat provided to the San Antonio Food Bank, some of it made its way to the Cavazos family in New Braunfels, and was immediately used in making chili.

“One of my sons used to go hunting, and a few times people who hunt have given us meat,” said Shelly Cavazos, who lives with her husband, Chris. “We really enjoy venison.”

Chris had a back injury several years ago and has had multiple surgeries and is unable to work. Two of their four children, ages 12 and 16, still live at home.

Shelly made chili with the venison delivered on Dec. 19, although she plans to use the rest like hamburger meat.

Photo by Erich Schlegel, for Lone Star Outdoor News

“I like how lean the meat is,” she said.

The family expressed their gratitude to both the hunters and the food bank.

“I never realized it was available unless you knew someone who hunted,” Shelly said. “I was very pleased to get some of the meat and grateful to the people who people donated it.”

Michael Guerra, the chief resource officer of the San Antonio Food Bank, said the program has expanded and improved.

“A few years ago, the management of the meat-donation program went to being handled by the 22 regional food banks through a program called Feeding Texas,” he said. “We have an agreement with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to handle the funds so there would be a statewide network.”

The San Antonio area gets the most use out of the program, probably because the area has the most deer, Guerra said.

“We recruit meat processors into the program and help spread the news to promote it,” he said. “Individual hunters who get that extra deer can drop it off for free and the processor invoices us. Previously, hunters had to pay a small fee, around $40.”

NEW BRAUNFELS, TX – OCTOBER 4, 2018 – Chris and Shelly Cavazos cook chili with meat from Hunters for the Hungry.

The meat is most often distributed locally, depending on the location of the processor.

“In some areas, especially smaller towns, the meat goes to the local food pantry so that it gets distributed in the area where it was donated,” Guerra said.

The food bank also works with Managed Lands Deer Permit ranches to collect deer.

“We have a rigged-up refrigerated box truck to pick up the deer,” Guerra said. “We take those deer to Trinity Oaks for processing.”

The venison is generally ground and placed in 2-pound packages to be distributed.

The Cavazos family’s meat was obtained through the New Braunfels Food Bank, which Guerra said is in essence a food pantry for people in the area.