Hormel reaching out to support senior citizens.
Published 2:05 pm Friday, March 20, 2020
Containers of food are ready to be bagged and handed out Friday at the Hormel Sales Cabin Friday night. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Abigail Muñoz hands out bags of food Friday at the Hormel Sales Cabin Friday morning as Isai Lopez, behind, takes more bags to another vehicle. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Paula Peterson carries food out to waiting vehicles at the Hormel Sales Cabin Friday morning. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Isai Lopez brings out food to a waiting vehicle outside the Hormel Sales Cabin Friday over the noon hour. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Bags of food are laid out, wating for pick-up at the Hormel Food Corps Sales Cabin Friday. The meals are being handed out to senior citizens 60 and older. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
As a direct response to the COVID-19 crisis, Hormel Foods is partnering with the Mower County Senior Center to prepare and distribute hot, nutritious meals to community members age 60 and over.
On, Thursday, March 19, senior community members began picking up 150 “to go” meals that volunteers delivered directly to their cars at the Hormel Sales Cabin. The meals will be available for pick up from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. through Friday, March 20, and are in addition to over 250 free meals being provided by MCS.
Beginning Monday, March 23, Hormel Foods and the Mower County Senior Center will be making food to be delivered by Austin Smart Busses, with help from MCS volunteers and Spambassadors from the Spam Museum. More than 400 meals will be delivered directly to the homes of area seniors. Each meal consists of nutritious foods such as sandwiches, pastas, hot dishes, salads, vegetables, fruits and desserts. The plan will be to continue providing the meals until the threat of the COVID-19 virus subsides.
“We appreciate that Hormel Foods recognized the need to help provide meals to our community’s senior members during these uncertain times,” said Sara Schafer, executive director of the Mower County Senior Center. “Feeding those who may not have access to nutritious meals is so important for the health of these individuals.
“Any seniors in our community who are not currently signed up to receive meals can contact the Mower County Senior Center at 507-433-2370 and we will get them on the list.”
The meal donations to Mower County Senior community members are a small part of a recent pledge of $1 million in cash and product donations made by Hormel Foods to assist nonprofits with their efforts in addition to its regular, ongoing hunger-relief efforts.
Hormel Foods has donated more than $50 million in cash and product donations to help others over the last five years. For more information about the company’s charitable giving and corporate responsibility efforts, please visit https://csr.hormelfoods.com/.
