Posted Thursday, October 11, 2018 6:02 am

Texas hunting licenses for the 2018-2019 sporting year are on sale and the hunting season is in full swing. When purchasing a new hunting license, Texas hunters have the opportunity to make a donation to Hunters for the Hungry. This program allows hunters to donate legally tagged and field dressed deer to hunger relief programs to help feed Texans in need.

Hunters can donate their deer through any participating meat processor, which will process the meat for a nominal fee. Meat is then distributed to Texans in need through participating hunger relief agencies.

In 2015, I sponsored and passed the legislation that allows hunters to donate to the program when purchasing their hunting license. During the legislation’s inaugural year, Hunters for the Hungry collected more than $88,000 in donations from hunters; these funds were used to offset deer processing fees for nearly 50,000 pounds of venison.

As an avid outdoorsman and former board member for the Central Texas Food Bank, this program means a great deal to me. This past legislative session, I passed HR 227 through the Texas House with the unanimous support of my colleagues to raise further awareness of Hunters for the Hungry and encourage more Texans to participate in this successful program.

The 2017-18 hunting season brought approximately 379,000 meals to hungry Texans through the Hunters for the Hungry program. Since its 1997 launch in Texas, the program has distributed around 9.5 million meals, and we hope to see that number continue to climb.

As Texas hunters enjoy our hunting heritage and help to manage the deer population, consider supporting and participating in Hunters for the Hungry to provide a much-needed source of lean protein to our neighbors in need.

Statistics show that one-in-six Texas families struggle with food insecurity. By donating to Hunters for the Hungry when you purchase your hunting license, you will directly impact the lives of Texas children, seniors, and families in need. I will be donating through this worthy program, and I hope that you will as well.

To learn more, donate, or find a participating meat processor, visit www.feedingtexas.org.

State Rep. John Cyrier (R-Lockhart) represents District 17 in the Texas House of Representatives, which includes Bastrop, Caldwell, Lee, Gonzales, and Karnes counties.