Donate your wild game to foodbanks or soup kitchens in Ontario

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hunt365

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I cannot beleive in Ontario we can't donate our wild game to food banks or soup kitchens through licensed butchers. With the issuing of multiple tags now, we need to lobby the government to allow us to pay licensed butchers to process the game and have the local foodbanks or soup kitchens pick it up. It is done in other provinces and rightfully so. I am sure that certain organizations would help to support the program!!!!!! Does anyone know how we might be able to get this done or where we should start? I feel very strongly and would devote time and energy to try and get this passed. I am sure that the foodbanks and soup kitchens would be more than happy to get fresh meat to donate.
Lets here your thoughts
 
It's not as easy as you think.

A reletive of mine (I won't disclose their name, since it was for a distress centre). Had a charity. Lever soap donated a crap load of soap for the event. Everyone that showed up got a goodie bag with a bar of soap in it. When the event was over, there was 1000+ bars of soap left. Lever would not take them back and the YMCA, Homeless shelters, abused woman's shelter (basically all shelters in Toronto), would not take posession of it. Their excuse was it was "perfumed".

In Ontario, I can see it being a problem, because the meat is "wild" and each bit of meat would have to be inspected by a government official.

A couple of years ago (10?), Mississauga had a Canada goose problem and it was proposed that they be killed and given to the local soup kitchens and shelters.This idea was canned (I believe it was a government idea too).

Your best bet would be to start a petition from the foodbank and soup kitchen organisers. If you can get their support, it would be a good start. (Imagine if you got all the work done and then they said they didn't want it?)
 
There is no way that uninspected meat is going to get distributed to the public. Even if it has been cut by a commercial butcher, there is no control over how it was killed, handled, cooled, etc. The critter has to have gone through an approved slaughterhouse.
The county outdoor association had its fund raising wild game dinner not too long ago. Every person attending had to sign a waiver.
 
Alberta has a wild game for foodbank program. There are some general rules in place i.e. the only accept game taken between certain dates and the animal must be processed only at specified butchers. The processing costs are paid by the Alberta Hunters Who Care association along with a few other organizations. In the 9 years the program has been around over 40,000 pounds of meat was donated to the Edmonton Foodbank.

Here's some info on Alberta's program:

http://www.huntingfortomorrow.com/HFTF_Home/FACT SHEETS/FS 11 Jan 05.pdf
 
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Thanks Scott
i knew that Alberta already had a said program in place I was also talking with a fellow from Bennt's Bait and Tackle this week while investigating this. He tells me that a group have finally got the approval in the Smith Falls area and I am waiting to get the details. i also read an article in the Alliston herald where the MNR had received tips which resulted in seizure of a poached mosse which according to MNR Ramsey was donated to a local foodbank. I know it won't be easy and the butchers will need to be government inspected but through the help of differnat organizations and with the help of the hunting community I think we should be able to do something. As far as the wild game dinners I have helped host a quite a few and all that we were required to do was post a notice that the meat wasn't government inspected and basically eat at your own risk.
 
If you can get the government to agree to it thats great. If not (or in the meantime), if you ask around with friends and co-workers it should't be too hard to find a needy family that would appreciate the meat. Any extra that I have goes to my wifes little sister (2 adults, 4 kids, low income).
 
Hey workin Man I hear ya but what I want to do is set it up so anyone can donate the meat. Both my son and I hunt and two deer in my house hold is way to much one is plenty as my wife and daughter don't care for it all that much. I work for Safari Club International and I am sure that they would help fund such a project in Ontario if we could help open the doors.
 
As it sits right now, anyone can donate the meat to an individual ( as a gift). Wild game can not be sold, traded or bartered, but it can be gifted. The only problem is that you can't gift it to an organized charity because of government health regs. I'm just saying, bypass the hassle and seek out a needy individual on your own. I'm just guessing, but I think a lot of the food banks would not want to deal with the insurance issues regarding wild game.
 
There is an organization in the Smith Falls area.I picked up a brochure at the Perth Gun show.It's called "Hunters Helping the Hungry".From what I understand,you must supply the complete field dressed deer and it is then processed by an approved butcher.These costs are covered by churches and charities.There isn't a website but there are a couple of phone numbers,if anyone is interested. GJ
 
A few years ago some people killed a bunch of elk here on the north island,illegaly.The meat was processed and given to needed families.But alot of people turned it down because it was wild meat!
Last year me and a buddy heard that there were a couple of elk that were hit on the hiway not far from my place.We went to see if they would let us take the dead animals but the crew on scene said they just dump it in the landfill.What a waste.
 
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