The Hormel Foundation gave away $2.

Tuesday, March 13, 2001

The Hormel Foundation gave away $2.84 million in the last fiscal year.

The University of Minnesota-Hormel Institute received $1.3 million and other Austin organizations received $1.53 million.

The contributions were made for the fiscal year ending Nov. 30, 2000.

The University of Minnesota’s Hormel Institute was established in 1942 by agreement between the Regents of the University of Minnesota and the Hormel Foundation. It is the principal recipient of the Hormel Foundation’s contributions.

Funds are used by the institute, a unit of the U of M graduate school, to conduct research and education in the biological sciences.

Institute research projects currently relate to heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity.

The institute derives most of its operating budget through grants and contracts from the National Institutes of Health and other agencies.

Other Hormel Foundation grants were made to: American Red Cross-Mower County Chapter, Austin SPAMTOWN Festival, Austin Community Scholarship Committee, Austin Fire Department, Austin/Mower County Homeowners Fund, Austin Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department, Austin Public Education Foundation Inc., Cedar Valley Services Inc., Girl Scout Council of River Trails Inc., Habitat for Humanity, Hormel Historic Home, J.C. Hormel Nature Center, Mower Council for the Handicapped Inc., Mower County Seniors, Multipurpose Arena, Parenting Resource Center, St. Olaf Hospital Association, Salvation Army, Sheriff’s Youth Program, Twin Valley Boy Scout Council, United Way of Mower County Inc. and the YMCA of Austin.

Income from the gift of the estate of the late Edna Denbow Schraefel was used partly to fund the grant to the Austin Public Education Foundation.

The Hormel Foundation was reorganized in 1980 as a supporting organization under Internal Revenue Code Section 509(1)(3). It is no longer a private foundation.

As a supporting organization, it is organized and operated for the benefit of those charitable or educational organizations that are represented on its board.

During calendar year 2000, contributions totaling $53,449 were made from the George A. Hormel Testamentary Trust for the benefit of the following Mower County organizations:

Apple Lane Child Care Center, Austin Commission for the Arts, Austin Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Austin Girls Youth Fast Pitch, Austin Symphony Orchestra, Austin Youth Baseball, Austin Youth Hockey, Cooperative Solutions Inc., Girl Scout Council of River Trails Inc., Holy Cross Lutheran School, Hormel Historic Home, Math Masters of Minnesota, Mower County Humane Society, Riverside Figure Skating Club, Sacred Heart School and Wee Learning Center.

The Hormel Foundation acts as trustee of the George A. Hormel Testamentary Trust. Charitable trusts are subject to the laws that apply to private foundations.

Call Lee Bonorden at 434-2232 or e-mail him at newsroom@austindailyherald.com.