"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ...."  Matthew 25:35   

Did You Ever Wonder How Bad Can Hunger Be?

The statistics show only the numbers. They don't show the people - children, men and women - who are not getting enough to eat. They don't show the child who goes to bed hungry and then goes to school the next morning on a still empty stomach. They don't show the elderly person, who after a lifetime of hard work, has to choose between eating and medical care. They don't show the struggle of the mother and father who are working hard trying to feed their family, but still don't have a sufficient amount of money to provide enough food, so they skip meals so their children can eat or "water down" food. Until a person has experienced hunger firsthand it's hard to understand what it's like to be truly hungry.
​
​​When you see the statistics do you think hunger could only happen to someone else or that  hunger only happens to the homeless and those living in poverty?  Any one of us could be one job loss, medical or financial crisis away from being one of the hunger statistics!  
 
FHFH is committed to helping the people in our country who are hungry!  We are a team of compassionate volunteers, businesses, churches, clubs, foundations and individuals like you who have a heart for those who are struggling with hunger.
 
You can help someone who is struggling with hunger today! The person you help today could one day "pay it forward" to help another person in need. 

​Sincerely,
  




​
​Josh Wilson
Executive Director
Farmers & Hunters Feeding the Hungry

Venison Heart Anticuchos
by Bobbie Jo Wasilko
He Hunts She Cooks

Prep Time:  3 hr 15 min
Cook Time:  4 min
Total Time: 3 hr 19 min
Serves 2

Walk around most any street in Peru, or attend a sports event and Beef Heart Anticuchos will be the snack you’ll most likely encounter. The slightly spicy, tangy meats on a stick are a favorite of Peruvians.  They are so easy to make, and utilize a part of the animal most wouldn’t consider.  With a quick marinade in ahi panca sauce, these tasty bites only need a skewer and a few minutes on a blazing hot grill. I’ve created mine using venison heart.  This snack is quick to make and so yummy, you can make this your first meal while still out in the field.

For the Venison Antichos

• 1 Venison Heart 
• 4 Skewers

For the Marinade

• 1/2 cup Aji Panca Sauce
• 1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Canola Oil
• 1 Tbs. Ground Cumin
• 2 tbs. Dried Oregano
• 1 tsp. Black Pepper
• 4 Cloves Garlic, minced (substitute 1 tbs. garlic powder)

For the Venison Anticuchos

• Soak wooden skewers in warm water, and set aside.
• Remove any fat and silver skin from the venison heart.
• Split the venison down the middle and remove the ventricles.
• Once the venison is trimmed, slice into 3 inch pieces.

For the Marinade

• Mince the garlic.
• Add all the ingredients into a glass dish, or a heavy duty zip lock bag.
• Add the venison heart pieces.
• Place in the fridge or cooler for 2-3 hours.

To Finish

• Heat the grill to about 400 degrees.
• Skewer the sliced meat.
• Sear for 2 minutes, then baste with marinade.
• Flip meat over and grill 2 more minutes, and baste once more, *be careful not to overcook the heart, 4 minutes total is all that is needed.
• Boil remaining marinade for 5 minutes, and serve with venison anticuchos.

Notes

• Jars of Aji Panca sauce are available online or in most Hispanic grocery stores.  If it isn’t available, a paste can be made by using 2 dried aji (“a-hee”) peppers and a bit of oil.  I found this jar at my local Hispanic grocery store.  
• Side dishes can be grilled corn on-the-cob and boiled new potatoes.

We appreciate our partnering feeding programs and ministries like Miriam's Kitchen in Washington DC who turn the meat donated by generous farmers and hunters into so many nutritious meals for the hungry among us!

This gift of $2,000 will pay the processing bills for thousands of meat servings for the hungry in Central Maryland this fall.  A special thanks to The Lisbon Christmas Parade for this generous contribution!

​We’re happy to share that FHFH is the recipient of this week’s Community Organization of the Week from TacticalPay Radio!
 
You can listen to the episode featuring FHFH at: https://www.tacticalpay.com/019-rhode/
(Note: FHFH is highlighted near the end of the episode if you want to skip ahead to check it out).
 
Dedicated TacticalPay Radio listeners nominate organizations that are doing great work in their communities From there, those felt to be most worthy of recognition are featured in an episode. Thank you TacticalPay Radio for this honor and for sharing our mission with your listeners!

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ...."  Matthew 25:35   

The second Sunday in May is Mother's Day.  It's a day set aside to honor and celebrate mothers. Mothers don't get time off - they lovingly give of themselves taking care of their family 24-7. They give warmth, spend time with their children, guide and teach them right from wrong. They take care of their children when they are sick, rejoice with them during happy times, support them in difficult times, provide security, clothing and food, and teach them about caring for others.
 
There are mothers in our country who don't have enough food to feed their children. 1 in 6 children in the United States are hungry! Can you image what it must be like to be a mother whose children are hungry and there isn't enough food to feed them?
 
This Mother's Day, please consider making a contribution to FHFH in honor or memory of your mother or another mother. While Mother's Day is an occasion to thank your mother, it's also an opportunity to honor the mothers who are struggling to overcome adversities and trying to make a better life for their children. By giving to FHFH you'll be doing what mothers do every day - making the world a better place! You'll be giving a mother the joy and peace of mind knowing her children are not going hungry. It's in difficult times that those in need depend on caring and compassionate people like you!
 
When making a gift online, you can enter information for the person being honored or remembered. If you are mailing a gift in honor or memory of someone, please provide the name of the person being honored or remembered and the contact information of the person we should notify.

Wild Game Tamales
By Gilbert Loredo
Posted at He Hunts She Cooks

Prep Time:  2 hr
Cook Time:  4 hr
Total Time:  6 hr
Yields 36

Because this recipe is fairly easy but time consuming, make it a party by inviting friends and relatives to all share in the fun and make a large batch. And remember to taste test quite often. This recipe can be easily modified for added flavors or different types of meat from domestic to wild game!

Ingredients

• 5 lbs. Prepared masa from local Mexican market
• 5 lbs of Wild Game Meat from leg or shoulder cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 big pack of Corn Husks (16 ounces)
• 5 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 pack of California Chili Powder (1.5 ounces)
• 1 pack of New Mexico Chili Powder (1.5 ounces)
• 1 pack of Cumin (1 ounce)
• 1 pack Onion Powder (1-1/2 ounces)
• 1 pack Garlic Powder (1-1/2 ounces)
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 tbs. Salt
• 1 tbs. Pepper
• Canola Oil for browning meat
• 4-5 cups Beef Broth (approximate amounts, may need more or less)
• 1 small can of El Pato Tomato Sauce (7-3/4 ounce)

For the Corn Husks

• Soak your husks for a few hours in warm water.

​For the Masa

• Remove the prepared masa from the fridge to the counter a couple hours ahead to bring the masa to room temperature (it makes spreading easier if it's room temp).

For the Game Meat Filling

• Cut meat in to medium size cubes.
• With a large pot, add canola oil to coat the bottom and heat over medium-high heat.
• Season game meat with salt and pepper and add, a few at a time to the pot.
• Brown meat on all sides.
• Once the meat is browned, add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
• Pour beef broth over meat and add the bay leaves.
• Turn down the heat to low and simmer the meat for approximately 2+ hours or until the meat is tender (may need more time).
• Once the meat is tender, remove the meat and *reserve the broth.
• Shred the meat.
• To the shredded meat, add the packets of chili powder and 1/2 pack of cumin, 1/2 pack onion powder, 1/2 pack garlic powder and tomato sauce.
• Add just enough reserved beef broth to make a stew like thickness.

To Make The Tamales

• Remove meat from heat let it cool.
• Remove a few corn husks from the water and pat dry.
• Layer one or two corn husks together (depending on how thick they are).
• Wet a soup spoon and spread approximately 3 tbs. masa on "smooth" side of husks (this will make it easier to remove husk after they are steamed)
• Spread the masa through the center and out to about 1/2 inch from the edges of the corn husk.
• After you have spread masa on several husks add a couple tablespoons shredded meat on top of the masa (you don't want to overfill your husks (otherwise the filling will squeeze out when they are rolled).
• Roll it like a burrito and fold the pointy end on the bottom and leave the top open.
• *You can use any extra jucies from your pot and drizzle on top of tamales while they are upright in steamer before steaming.
• Once you have your tamales all rolled up use some string or make some ties by pulling apart excess husk and tie bundles of 6 tamales (this will make it easier to stand up in your steamer).

To Steam the Tamales

• Fill the bottom of the steamer pot with about 2 inches of water, and bring to boiling.
• Stand up the tamales in the steamer basket.
• Add the steamer basket filled with tamales into the steamer pot (it's very important to make sure the water level doesn't touch the tamales or they will be soggy).
• Cover the pot and turn down heat to a medium boil to create steam.
• Steam them for about an hour and a half (maybe less depending on amount you are steaming).
• Check the steamer pot from time to time and add water if needed to keep steaming.
• **If you have any extra meat and sauce left over serve it on top of tamales after they are done and unwrapped.

Notes

• For this recipe, you will need a large stainless steel steamer, approximately 8 inches high, to hold the tamales. Add about 2 inches of water to the bottom of the steamer (you don't want the tamales touching the water or they'll get soggy).
• Check the water level from time to time and add water as needed to keep steaming for the 1-1/2 hours.

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ...."  Matthew 25:35   

How can you make a change for the better?  Volunteer!
 
Volunteering is a tradition in our country and is a rewarding experience!  Parents teach their children about helping others in need.  Schools teach students about volunteering by completing community service hours.  Businesses and organizations encourage their employees to volunteer and make a positive difference in their community.  Volunteers do good for others and their community, which provides them with a sense of accomplishment.  Volunteers are change makers!
 
April is Volunteer Month!  FHFH would like to honor our volunteer chapter coordinators.  Our chapter coordinators live in communities all across our country, come from all walks of life and have a heart for those who are hungry.
 
Serving as an FHFH chapter coordinators involves:

• Partnering with at least one local butcher shop to process and package donated deer and livestock.
• Identifying at least one local food bank or ministry to distribute the meat to the hungry.
• Raising money to pay the meat processing bills through fundraising projects, events and appeals for support to individuals, businesses, churches, clubs and organizations in the community.
• Promoting the ministry through local media, sporting goods stores, clubs and events to encourage hunter participation and connect with new donors and volunteers. 

We thank each of our chapter coordinators for their compassion, dedication and giving of their time to help feed the hungry in their communities and make a positive change in peoples lives.  We couldn't fulfill our mission without our chapter coordinators!
 
CLICK HERE if you would like to make a positive change for your community by becoming an FHFH chapter coordinator and helping to feed the hungry.  When someone who has been hungry sits down to a meal, the smile on their face is priceless and so is the good feeling you'll experience by making a positive change in their life!
 
You can also contact any of our chapter coordinators to volunteer to help with their chapter.  CLICK HERE for a list of our FHFH chapters. 

​Sincerely,

  



​Josh Wilson
Executive Director
Farmers & Hunters Feeding the Hungry