CENTER TWP — When Tom Rossman first got involved with Hunters Sharing the Harvest, only one agency in Butler County — Katie’s Kitchen — was receiving venison from the program.

Today, the state program that donates extra venison from hunters to different food pantries and community meals gives meat to 24 programs in the county.

“It’s almost impossible for me to get out and deliver the venison to all 24 agencies,” said Rossman, the county coordinator for the program.

Hunter’s Sharing the Harvest started in 1991. The program coordinates processing and distribution of donated venison from hunters and herd reduction programs to people who are needy.

Last year in Butler, hunters donated 8,000 pounds of deer.

He said the 200 or so hunters who donated to the program last year are heroes. Rossman said the averaged-sized deer can provide enough meat for up to 200 meals.

Butler County is ranked number three in the state for donations in the program.

“I’d like to be number one,” Rossman said.

The current processors in the program are Ron Rome of Herman, Bim’s Baloney of North Washington and Petrolia, McKruit’s Meat Packing in Cabot and T.A. Giger Deer Processing in Valencia. Rossman praised the processors.

“The processors are heroes,” Rossman said.

Rossman said the program is looking for more processors, saying that he wants to see participants in the Slippery Rock, Portersville or Zelienople areas.

He also said contributions are important to the program, noting that Hunters Sharing the Harvest spent $13,000 on processing fees last year.

“Anything we can get as far as monetary contributions is certainly appreciated,” Rossman said.

After being processed and before being distributed to the pantries, the meat is stored at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Center Township. Recently, a new, walk-in freezer was installed outside the church for the program’s use. Rossman is a member of the church.

He said the church has four old freezers in the basement now which were used before the new freezer was installed.

“We’ve had hand-me-downs,” Rossman said, saying they were donated and often would not last for a long time.

He said the plan is to give those freezers to different pantries or programs that need them.

XTO Energy donated $17,000 for the freezer. Katie’s Kitchen, a community meal sponsored by Lutheran churches, donated the remaining $6,000.

Rossman said that electrical contractor Hay Electric and DHT Construction, which did excavation work, gave the program a discount to work on the freezer.

“We appreciate all the help these guys gave us,” Rossman said.

The walk-in freezer is 8 feet by 12 feet. He said there is 2,000 pounds in the freezer and room for a lot more.

On Monday, a dedication ceremony was held for the new freezer.

Amy Dobkin, community relations manager for XTO, praised the work of Rossman and others involved with the program, and said the program fits in with other community projects XTO has contributed to.

“We’re so thrilled to be partners,” Dobkin said.

Leslie Osche, county commissioner-elect and a member of the church, said food pantries in the county served 2,000 families — which is about 4,500 individuals. About 50 percent of those are seniors and children, she said.

“I think it’s incredibly important work you do,” Osche said.

U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-3rd, of Butler agreed, saying it can be hard to understand how many people in the county need assistance.

Randy Pilarcik, a state Game Commission officer, said he appreciates all of the people who donate meat to the program. He said when mistake deer kills or illegal kills occur, he talks with people in the program to see if they could use that meat.

“It does help the community,” Pilarcik said.

For information on the program, contact Rossman at 724-283-0449.