Root Cellar urges help through meat programs

By KENDALL KING, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on April 6, 2022.

kking@medicinehatnews.com

Currently in need of fresh meat donations, Medicine Hat’s Root Cellar Food and Wellness Hub is asking local hunters and ranchers to consider donating to its Hunters Sharing the Harvest or Cattleman’s programs.

“The Hunters Sharing the Harvest program is a partnership between the Root Cellar, Premium Sausage and the Alberta Hunters Sharing the Harvest program,” Melissa Mullis, interim executive director at the Root Cellar, told the News. “It is a unique way for people to donate to the food bank (by) donating their wild game.

“There’s no cost to the food bank, there’s no cost to the hunter. As the Alberta Hunters Sharing the Harvest program pays for all the processing of the wild game.

“The Cattleman’s program is much the same in the sense that farmers and ranchers donate cattle to the food bank. They donate it through Deerview Meats and the Medicine Hat Kinsmen Club pay for the processing … (Donors to) the Cattleman’s program can receive a tax receipt for the hanging weight of the animals, so it helps support what they do and also supports us.”

Mullis explained the Root Cellar is in need of fresh meat, and due to health regulations, can only accept meat donations through specific programs, such as Hunters Sharing the Harvest and Cattleman’s.

“We are in need of meat donations,” said Mullis. “We had an uptake of 87.5 per cent since December, so we’re seeing higher numbers than we’ve ever seen before in the history of our organization. We’re receiving upwards of 300 phone calls a day.”

Due to the increase in individuals and families accessing food bank services, supplies at the Root Cellar are running thin.

“Donations are not going as far,” said Mullis. “(Meat) is a staple – people need it – but it’s not something that’s heavily donated.”

Mullis encourages anyone with the ability to consider donating to either Hunters Sharing the Harvest or Cattleman’s and thanks those who have already.

Anyone looking for more information about the Hunters Sharing the Harvest program is asked to contact Premium Sausage at 403-832-2224. For information about the Cattleman’s program, contact the Root Cellar at 403-528-4313, ext. 7.

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