The National Park Service donated 700 pounds of venison to feed the homeless in the nation's capital following a recent deer hunt in Rock Creek Park.
The NPS delivered the venison to the D.C. Central Kitchen Tuesday afternoon. The venison will be used to prepare healthy meals for homeless shelters and after school programs.
The donation comes from a recent deer hunt in Rock Creek Park.
The park service uses sharpshooters to kill white-tailed deer in the park because of overpopulation. Without continued management, the NPS says, deer populations would quickly rebound and eat almost all vegetation seedlings before they could grow.
"That takes away food and shelter from other plants and wildlife in the park," said Jenny Anzelm-Sarles, of the park service.
DC Central Kitchen makes 5,000 meals daily and delivers them to homeless shelters and other nonprofits. Venison chili is on the menu for Saturday.
"If we can provide them with just one good meal a day, that might help them get that promotion or get to the next level,” DC Central Kitchen CEO Mike Curtin Jr. said. “It's going to make a tremendous difference."
