DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa Capitol Bureau) - An Iowa food program is helping food banks meet high demand by partnering with hunters to turn donated venison into meals.

The HUSH program, or Help Us Stop Hunger , partners with deer hunters to convert donated venison into meals for Iowa food banks. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources estimates one deer can make anywhere from 150 to 200 meals.

State Auditor and gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand participated in the program on Thursday, donating 46 pounds of meat.

“No matter who we are, no matter where we are, there’s probably someone who’s got it worse,” Sand said. “And so the more we can do for each other, the better off our whole state is.”

Emily Shearer, Vice President of Food Acquisition at the Food Bank of Iowa, toured the

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