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Hormel Foods Donates $240,;;000 to End Hunger in Minnesota,;; Iowa

^{Published on 2011-09-13 05:36:05 - Market Wire}
 

AUSTIN, Minn.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE:HRL) today announced a donation of $130,000 to Hunger-Free Minnesota and $110,000 to the aMapping an End to Hunger in Greater Des Moinesa project through the Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC).

"Hormel Foods is committed to combating the persistence of hunger in the United States"

Hunger-Free Minnesota is a statewide coalition of community and corporate organizations focused on closing Minnesotaa™s missing meals gap by providing 100 million additional meals, annually and sustainably, for Minnesotans in need by 2014. The purpose is to ensure that no Minnesotan will go without food in their time of need, and to get food resources to the people that need it most.

aThe contribution from Hormel Foods is a testament to the companya™s commitment to fight hunger in Minnesota,a said Ellie Lucas, chief campaign officer, Hunger-Free Minnesota. aWe hope Hormela™s leadership will inspire other Minnesota companies to step forward and join our campaign to feed Minnesotaa™s hungriest citizens.a

DMARC is an interfaith organization that provides a common means of responding to basic human needs and serves as a liaison between member congregations to accomplish good in the Greater Des Moines community. Since 2009, DMARC has researched the hunger problem in Polk County, Iowa, with a focus on understanding the hunger problem in the community so that a plan can be developed to find a solution in the most effective manner.

aWe are ecstatic to receive this donation, which will be vital in continuing our work to understand where the biggest hunger problems are, and how we as a community can best address food insecurity issues for our neighborsa said Sarai Schnucker Rice, executive director at DMARC.

aHormel Foods is committed to combating the persistence of hunger in the United States," said Julie H. Craven, vice president of corporate communications at Hormel Foods. "We have many employees in both Minnesota and Iowa, and because of that, these states are important areas of focus. We understand each community has its own challenges, which is why we believe we can work with organizations like Hunger-Free Minnesota and DMARC on a grassroots level to help meet local residents' needs and end hunger."

The donations are part of the aOn Our Way to Ending Hungera program at Hormel Foods, which involves collaborating with retailers, nonprofits and the government on hunger relief efforts; nourishing the hungry in the United States and abroad; and motivating individuals and corporate partners to take action to fight hunger. Through this program, Hormel Foods has also donated to hunger-relief organizations in more than a dozen communities where it has U.S. manufacturing facilities, including several in both Minnesota and Iowa.

About Hormel Foods

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of consumer-branded food and meat products, many of which are among the best known and trusted in the food industry. The company leverages its extensive expertise, innovation and high competencies in pork and turkey processing and marketing to bring branded, value-added products to the global marketplace. The company is a member of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index, Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes, Maplecroft Climate Innovation Indexes, Global 1000 Sustainable Performance Leaders and was named one of "The 100 Most Trustworthy Companies" by Forbes in 2010. The company enjoys a strong reputation among consumers, retail grocers, foodservice and industrial customers for products highly regarded for quality, taste, nutrition, convenience and value. For more information, visit [ http://www.hormelfoods.com ].