Hormel Foods’ Corps employees are once again a big reason the United Way of Mower County will raise about $1 million.

Hormel announced Thursday morning its corporate office employees raised a record $268,511, about $3,000 more than last year and 102 percent of their goal of $261,000. Tack on the $140,269 Hormel’s plant workers donated, and Hormel employees are responsible for $406,780 of United Way donations this year.

“Our local workforce continues to amaze and inspire us with their generosity,” said Mandi Lighthizer-Schmidt, Executive Director of the United Way of Mower County. “Hormel Foods has always been a great community supporter. Hormel’s campaign team of Jen Moriarty, Max Faust and Steve Borgerding did an amazing job.”

Last year, the local United Way raised $1.03 million, with Hormel employees contributing $405,721, or about 39 percent of the total. In 2011, Hormel donated $379,862, or about 37 percent of the record-setting $1.04 million total.

“Employees at Hormel Foods feel strongly about supporting their community and the efforts of the United Way,” said Moriarty, supervisor of compensation at Hormel. “It’s great to know the generosity of our employees will go a long way in helping those in need in Mower County.”

Hormel’s United Way campaign team organizes meetings and recruits co-workers to solicit donations from the nearly 1,000 corporate office employees, something Lighthizer-Schmidt said would be nearly impossible for her office to do.

“That would be a tremendous amount of work for us. We’re such a small staff,” she said.

With tallies mostly in for Hormel Foods and Quality Pork Processors, the United Way has raised more than $900,000, with a goal of $1.1 million.

“We obviously feel blessed to be where we’re at,” Lighthizer-Schmidt said. “There are a lot of United Ways in our area that are struggling, so to be over $900,000 is wonderful.”

Funds donated to the United Way of Mower County go entirely to local programs in four main categories: education, income, health and basic needs. For a list of services and programs the United Way funded in 2012, visit austindailyherald.com/2013/11/donations-at-work.

Donations may be sent to P.O. Box 605, Austin, or dropped off at 301 N Main St. For more information, call Lighthizer-Schmidt at 507-437-2313.

Hormel employees’ contributions to United Way of Mower County

•2013 United Way goal: $1.1 million

Hormel employees’ contribution: $406,780

•2012 United Way total: $1.03 million

Hormel employees’ contribution: $405,721

•2011 United Way total: $1.04 million

Hormel employees’ contribution: $379,862