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:

 

Join us for the journey

 

Illinois Extension has tips to help you cooking with venison

 

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.

  1. Visit our safe online donation site
  2. Select “Other” at the bottom of the page
  3. 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.

Illinois county map

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.