Hunters invited to donate deer in November at Jay’s, supported by Agent Charitable Fund and the Michigan Farm Bureau Family of Companies

On Nov. 16-17 and Nov. 23-24, Jay's Sporting Goods in Clare will host two MDNR Sportsmen Against Hunger deer donation events.

"In 2024, we've noticed an increase in the number of families facing challenges in providing meat for their daily meals," said Jay's Project Manager Tina Colosky. "This year's focus was to increase the number of days we are hosting this event, in hopes of increasing the number of deer donations we will receive."

Jay's Sporting Goods in Clare has been working with the MDNR for many years to facilitate Sportsmen Against Hunger deer donation events. This year, Jay's partnered with Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan Agent Charitable Fund (ACF) and the Michigan Farm Bureau Family of Companies (MFBFoC) to coordinate a second donation weekend and help get the word out in the farming and hunting communities.

ACF and the MFBFoC crowdfunded last month to help support processing costs for the second weekend.

"This program will help farmers with crop damage, hunters will have an approved spot to drop off their deer donation, and the meat will be sent to an approved processor and distributed to families in need," Colosky added.

"This will also help us promote responsible hunting and wildlife management within our beautiful state."

Michigan Farm Bureau supports access to increased venison donation efforts while also feeding food-insecure families across the state, said MFB CFO and Social Mission Task Force Chair Tom Nugent.

"We recently partnered with the University of Michigan for a research study called Feeding MI Families, which clearly showed that food insecure families need better access to quality protein," Nugent added. "We see Michigan's deer overpopulation issue as one significant avenue to reduce the deer population, create a healthier deer herd, and increase access to high quality protein for food insecure families."

Deer can be dropped off at Jay's during store open hours on Nov. 16-17 and Nov. 23-24 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays). Every deer dropped off will be entered into a drawing for one of ten $100 Jay's gift cards.

The ACF, whose mission is to end hunger in Michigan, is a donor-designated fund administered through the Michigan Foundation for Agriculture. The Michigan Foundation for Agriculture, a 501(c)(3) governed by Michigan Farm Bureau's board of directors, positively contributes to the future of Michigan agriculture through leadership and educational programming.

For more information, contact Persis Sopariwala at 517-323-6628 or [email protected].

Operating at the intersection of market and moral missions, the MFBFoC has a powerful vision: a Michigan where no child goes to bed hungry. MFBFoC is reinvesting their proceeds back into their local communities and identifying effective programs, policies and practices designed to directly reduce childhood hunger.