Deer Donation Program
Your hunt can take on new meaning.
Donate your deer to families in need.
One in 10 people in Illinois struggle with hunger every day, including one in eight children. The Illinois Deer Donation Program provides a pathway to expand community access to lean protein throughout East-Central Illinois and reduce barriers to healthier lifestyles.
Donated meat will be donated to pantries in these 12 counties:
- Clay
- Coles
- Cumberland
- DeWitt
- Douglas
- Effingham
- Fayette
- Jasper
- Macon
- Moultrie
- Piatt
- Shelby
Meet our 2022 Illinois Deer Donation Program partners
With the start of deer archery hunting season on October 1, hunters can bring harvested deer to one of five partnering meat processors for donation. Hunters do not have to pay the processing fee for donated deer, though processors ask that you call before going hunting to make sure they have space available.
Partnering meat processors include:
- Morgan's Meat Market on 1401 Dewitt Ave in Mattoon.
- Moweaqua Packing Plant on 601 N Main St in Moweaqua.
- Blair's Slaughtering & Processing, Inc. on 2472 Vandalia Rd in Louisville.
- Salt & Strings Butchery on 133 N Church St in Louisville.
- Hartrich Meats on 326 W Embarras St in Sainte Marie.
- Howe Custom Deer Processing on 271 N 2150 East Rd in Mode.
Join us for the journey
- Join our email list
- Follow us on Facebook
- Share this flyer.
Illinois Extension has tips to help you cooking with venison
- Read our venison tip sheet.
- Watch how to prepare venison at home.
Not a hunter? You can still help by donating cash today
Your donation as a sponsor helps to reimburse meat processors for their time and effort.
Donate Online: Access secure and confidential online giving through University of Illinois Foundation.
- Visit our safe online donation site
- Select “Other” at the bottom of the page
- Enter “University of Illinois Extension, HEAT Deer Donation"
Donate by Mail: Write a check and mail it to one of the local Illinois Extension county offices below.
Macon County Extension Office
Attn: HEAT Deer Donation
3351 N. President Howard Brown Blvd.
Decatur, IL 62521
Effingham County Extension Office
Attn: HEAT Deer Donation
1209 Wenthe Drive
Effingham, IL 62401
Coles County Extension Office
Attn: HEAT Deer Donation
809 Broadway
Mattoon, IL 61938
Find a local contact
DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt Counties:
Caitlin Mellendorf
chuth2@illinois.edu | 217-877-6042
Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Moultrie, and Shelby Counties
Meredith Probst
maepley@illinois.edu | 217-345-7034
Clay, Effingham, Fayette, and Jasper Counties
Michelle Fombelle
mfombell@illinois.edu | 217-347-7773
The program is funded in part by the Health Equity Achieved Together Project (HEAT), a multi-disciplinary collaboration with University of Illinois Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider. This material funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - SNAP. College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. University of Illinois | United States Department of Agriculture | Local Extension Councils Cooperating.