Copyright Live 5 News WCSC
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - South Carolinians have been hunting in the woods of Charleston for hundreds of years, feeding their communities and providing for their families. Now, with grocery stores on every corner, hunting is no longer the mainstay it once was, but hunters are still putting meat on the table. “You know, it’s surprising. Near the end of the season, we definitely get a good rush of more meat being donated. These are people who have filled their freezers, and they want to do good in the community. They’ve heard about us, and so they bring their harvest to Cordray’s,” Trey Hopkins, chair of the local chapter of Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry, said. Hopkins says it doesn’t really matter what’s happening in politics; there’s always a need to help feed the hungry. “Every year, whether it’s SNAP benefits that are at risk or if things are going well, we just like to keep doing what the community needs,” Hopkins said. The idea is simple. Hunters donate a harvested deer to Cordray’s Processing and Taxidermy, and then FHFH pays to have the animal butchered. Cordray’s does the work at or below cost, offering their services at a steep discount. The meat is then sent to certified 501(c)(3) nonprofits that help feed the hungry. Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry says one deer can feed 200 people. “There’s an ongoing need that’s been going on for many years. I took over this chapter in 2015, and since then, we have donated about 30,000 pounds of meat to local soup kitchens and other feeding ministries,” Hopkins said. There are a lot of reasons why FHFH is unique, but perhaps the most important is the product they are donating. “Soup kitchens have such a hard time getting fresh protein,” Hopkins said. “Many times they get baked goods that have a short shelf life and a lot of meats that just aren’t the best quality. This is fresh, clean protein that really helps feed the need in the community.” Hopkins says they can donate between 2,000 and 4,000 pounds of meat a season, with each pound roughly feeding four to five people. One organization that has received donations from FHFH is Meals on Wheels of Summerville. Executive Director Crystal Bovell says they know how to make that donation go as far as possible. “We have been a benefactor of theirs over the years and been able to turn great meat that they aren’t going to use into chili or spaghetti, or other things. So that is super helpful,” Bovell said. With the government shutdown putting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits at risk, even nonprofits like Meals on Wheels, which don’t receive government funding, are feeling the pressure. “We have seen a huge influx, and that’s not even addressing the issue of the federal funding cuts,” Bovell said. “All of those other agencies are at capacity with waitlists and indefinite solutions. So we’re kind of seeing that transition of them saying, ‘Well, we can’t help them, but we’re going to send them to you.’” While the government shutdown has put a spotlight on food insecurity, groups like Meals on Wheels and FHFH have been fighting the problem for years, going mostly unnoticed. “We serve over 200 meals, basically three times a week,” Bovell said. “We are at 21 routes currently. We have over 250 volunteers that really are the backbone of what we’re able to do. They pick up the meals for us and deliver them at no cost. That is like the equivalent of driving from here to California and back seven times.” Both organizations’ work relies on donations. If you’d like to donate, you can do so by visiting their websites. Farmer and Hunters Feeding the Hungry Meals on Wheels of Summerville
