Daily Herald editorial

Hormel Foods Corp. announced on Tuesday it was donating $5,000 each to the Salvation Army and Meals on Wheels in Austin for the second straight year. But that’s just the tip of the proverbial iceberg for the company; it donated more than $5 million in 2011 and appears to be on a solid pace this year, too. We salute Hormel for its effort, and encourage others to follow its example.

Through Hormel’s “On Our Way to Ending Hunger” program and other efforts, it has been a leader in hunger relief. The company created Spammy — a high protein turkey spread for Guatemala and other malnourished and poverty-stricken communities worldwide — in 2011; it donates to communities where it has manufacturing facilities in the U.S.; it gives thousands of ‘Compleat’ meals to towns hit by floods, tornadoes, and other natural disasters; and it is giving back in innovative ways, like its Kitchen Table Project, where it donates to Feeding America through social media interaction.

Hunger is a major issue in Austin and throughout the U.S., but doesn’t always get the attention it should. We’re glad Hormel recognizes its importance, and hope it pushes others to do the same. For information on Meals on Wheels, call 507-438-3140, for more on the local Salvation Army, call 507-433-7203, or to help Kids Against Hunger in Austin, call 507-433-4489.