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Rob Sand Donates Venison to Food Bank of Iowa Through HUSH Program

For Immediate Release

Contact: press@robsand.com

Rob Sand for Iowa

11/21/2025

DES MOINES, IA – Yesterday, bowhunter and candidate for governor Rob Sand visited the Food Bank of Iowa for a tour of the facility and to donate venison meat from a buck he shot earlier this year as part of Iowa’s urban bowhunting program. Rob was able to donate over 46 pounds of meat, a great source of protein and one of the most requested items at the food bank, according to Emily Shearer, Vice President of Food Acquisition and Advocacy at the Food Bank of Iowa. Rob donated the meat as part of the HUSH (Help Us Stop Hunger) program through the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). 

WATCH: 


CBS 2: Gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand donates 46 pounds of venison to Food Bank of Iowa

  • Sand, a bow hunter, shot and killed a buck back in October. Now, he donated the 46 pounds of meat to help Iowa families.

  • “There are a lot of people out there in need and I think it’s important to just demonstrate and remind people that no matter who we are, no matter where we are, there is probably somebody who’s got it worse,” Sand said. “The more that we can do for each other, the better off our whole state is.”

  • “Protein has been and continues to be one of the most expensive commodities in people’s grocery carts,” Emily Shearer the vice president of of food acquisition and advocacy for the Food Bank of Iowa said. “Venison is a lot of times a great substitute for ground beef, which is certainly really expensive and it’s not something we always have.”

KCRG: Holiday help: Food Bank of Iowa receives nearly 50 pounds of venison from local official

  • 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.”

  • “Venison is great, it’s such a win-win-win win and it can also be used as a substitute for ground beef a lot, which is probably the most requested item we get, it’s certainly the most expensive,” Emily Shearer, Vice President of Food Acquisition at the Food Bank of Iowa, said.

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