Hunters Feeding the Hungry Their Food. Proverbs 22:9

Farm Bureau’s goal with its initial donation and pledged matching funds is to total more than $75,000.

Sticks Are For Kids

Bob Barringer started Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry in 1999, turning the state’s abundant white-tailed deer population into a renewable food source for the hungry. It was all venison burger back then, distributed at no charge through churches and shelters.

Ritter met Barringer at a Big Buck Classic in Little Rock in January of 2000 and began volunteering because he “liked what they were doing,” he says. In 2008, Barringer approached Ritter about taking over. Ritter, riding a 31-year career at International Paper Company, prayed and knew he wasn’t going to ease off into the sunset.

“I have retired friends who say they get bored playing golf every day,” he says with a laugh.

Ritter and “about 8 volunteers” have grown Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry over the past 14 years with relentless promotion, media appearances, and most notably, the snack sticks program for schools.

Venison used in the snack sticks comes almost exclusively from urban hunt seasons in nine Arkansas communities, including Russellville, Helena-West Helena and Hot Springs Village.

Burger Helper

“We’ll still do between 50 and 70,000 pounds of burger per year,” he says. “We give that to local food pantries. With the prices of meat going up at grocery stores, we always get more requests than we can fill.”

An 80-hour work week is not uncommon for

Ritter. For example, a partnership with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s annual Archery in the Schools requires lots of logistics, coordination, and time, he says. Participating schools donating the most canned food during the competition get cash prizes from Hunters Feeding the Hungry.

The canned goods go with the burger to shelters. Ritter delivers.

How To Help

Donations to the school meat stick program should be marked “Hunters feeding the Hungry” to get the matching funds and submitted either online at arfbfoundation. gvtls.com or mailed to Arkansas Farm Bureau Foundation, P.O. Box 31, Little Rock, Ark., 72203. Amanda Williams can answer questions at 501-228-1493.

Hunters are encouraged to donate field dressed wild game, ice chest quartered deer or just “a couple of packs” of their harvest. Close to 60 participating processors across Arkansas are listed at arkansashunters. org or contact Ronnie Ritter at 501-282-0006. •

Find ingredients from LOCAL producers here.