The Tribune staff reports

The Kroger Foundation recently awarded Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry $2,000 for its Meat the Need program.

These funds will be used to assist Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry in pay processing fees for approximately 1,500 pounds of donated meat in Jackson and Marion counties, according to a news release from the foundation.

Once processed, the meat will be distributed to area hunger relief agencies, providing almost 6,000 meals to residents in need.

Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry encourages the donation of large game and livestock to its Meat the Need program.

Hunters and farmers wishing to donate may do so by contacting a participating meat processor in their area and taking the large game or livestock in for processing.

There is no charge to donors. The butcher will process, package and freeze the meat.

Local hunger relief agencies will be contacted for pickup and distribution of this nutritious protein back into the community in which it was donated where funding is available.

To date, the foundation has 90 participating meat processors working in 85 Hoosier counties.

Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry officials currently are working with Brownstown Frozen Food Lockers, Wilson Locker and Archer’s Meats to ensure that residents in Jackson and Marion counties have access to this nutritious protein/meat.

The goal of the organization is to provide nutritious meat to hunger relief agencies within Indiana to help build stronger, healthier communities by helping to meet the basic needs within each community, getting them back on track to hunger-free, independent living.

In the past five years, Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry has helped to distribute almost 540,000 pounds of meat to Indiana food banks, providing more than 2.1 million meals to Hoosiers in need.

Information: hoosiersfeedingthe hungry.org