Many parts of West Virginia have an excess of deer. At the same time, there are hundreds of Mountain State families who need food.

Hunters Helping the Hungry, or HHH, is a program that deals with both problems. The program was organized 17 years ago through the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Section. Since then, generous hunters and financial contributors have enabled the processing of more than 18,000 deer. With an average of approximately 38 pounds of ground venison produced from each deer, more than 684,380 pounds of meat have been made available to those in need throughout the state.

Hunters participating in the program take their deer to one of 18 approved meat processors who skin and debone the deer, grind the meat and freeze it in two-pound packages.

The venison is then collected by the Mountaineer Food Bank of Gassaway and the Huntington Area Food Bank for distribution through their network of qualified charitable food pantries, soup kitchens, agencies, senior centers and needy families.

The cost of operating the program is more than $115,000 per year. Financial assistance for the program comes from individuals, businesses, foundations and churches.

The West Virginia Council of Churches assists by designating a Share the Harvest Sunday in November. Participating churches ask members of their congregations to contribute whatever they can afford to the HHH program.

DNR spokesman Jerry Westfall said the need for donated venison is increasing.

"The distribution centers are relying on it more and more with the economic situation," he said. "Red meat is always in short supply."

More than 1,100 deer were donated to the program during the most recent deer season. That resulted in 45,505 pounds of venison being distributed at 188 locations statewide.

Carla Nardella of the Mountaineer Food Bank says the program provides nutrition to several non-traditional sources such as domestic violence shelters and group homes for youth.

"It (HHH) does work and it makes a big impact on what we can do," she said. "It's the largest distribution of red meat that we receive."

Starting Point operates food pantries in the Taylor County communities of Flemington and Grafton. Coordinator Susie Davis said a lack of freezer capacity limits the amount of venison they can accept, but notes that it is typically distributed quickly to grateful recipients.

"The majority of the families that we serve do want it," said Davis. "We deal with low income folks and the working poor who are just trying to make ends meet. We try to give them other things that will go with it, like Hamburger Helper."

So Others May Eat, or SOME, is a facility near Capon Bridge in Hampshire County. The 90-day rehabilitation program assists homeless men and women from the Washington, D.C., area who have drug or alcohol addictions.

"We rely on donations, so this saves us a lot of money," explained spokesman Steve Fulton. "It has worked out well for us. Our clients are from the city, but they enjoy it. We serve it with the meals and they make jerky with it, too."