12.22.2006 - 01:51pm ET

(CSRwire) ABBOTT PARK, IL., Dec. 22, 2006 – As evidence of the company's commitment to give back to local communities, Abbott employees and the Abbott Fund have pledged more than $5.6 million to support health and human service organizations this year, including a contribution of more than $3 million by Abbott employees in Lake County, southern Wisconsin and the broader Chicago area. These contributions include matching gifts from the Abbott Fund, the company’s philanthropic foundation. In addition to contributing their dollars through the company's annual employee giving campaign, countless Abbott employees also give their time to local community organizations.

Before heading to Abbott in the morning, Patrick Groody, of Vernon Hills, often volunteers from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. to help feed and provide shelter to homeless people at a local church community center. "This is my way of giving back to the community," said Groody. "It helps me keep a lot of things in perspective." Groody also supports the center through Abbott's giving campaign. "Thanks to the campaign, I know my dollars get to the organization and are at work."

More than 60 members of Abbott's legal department work together to help immigrants in the Chicago area become naturalized American citizens. Abbott employees like Rana Van Stan of Morton Grove volunteer their time to help applicants understand the process and complete the necessary federal paperwork for citizenship. "It's a great feeling to be able to apply the skills you learn at work to help people in need in your local community."

Abbott employee Catherine Bryan of Chicago supports an important cause – Pediatric AIDS Chicago – with both time and funding, serving as a board member. "I'm proud to work for a company that encourages giving back to the community, and to volunteer for an organization that's trying to move the needle on such an important health issue."

"At Abbott, our business is about improving lives, so giving back to the community has always been an integral focus for Abbott employees," said Catherine Babington, president of the Abbott Fund. "In 2006, Abbott employees have shown a great spirit of caring, donating both their time and funding to help address unmet needs."

The support of Abbott employees reached across the country in 2006. Two out of every three Abbott employees participated in the campaign, pledging donations to more than 3,700 different civic organizations, non-governmental organizations and other non-profit groups. The total 2006 nationwide campaign contribution was $5.6 million, including matching gifts from the Abbott Fund for employee contributions to long-standing community organizations such as the United Way, the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association.

Abbott Volunteers Help in Developing Countries

Abbott employees also are actively involved in the company's philanthropic efforts in developing countries. As part of a $40 million Abbott Fund program to strengthen the health care system of Tanzania, Abbott employee volunteers help build and maintain health care facilities and train health care workers in this East African country hit hard by HIV/AIDS.

Bill Bassler from Abbott's engineering department travels from his home in suburban Chicago to help manage the program's construction projects on site in Tanzania. "Working together with my Tanzanian colleagues, I've had the opportunity to help build a new hospital center that's treating hundreds of people a day," said Bassler. "I've also learned new approaches from Tanzanians that I can apply to my work at Abbott as well."

About Abbott and Abbott Fund

Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs 65,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.

Abbott Fund is a philanthropic foundation established by Abbott in 1951 to create healthier global communities by investing in creative ideas that promote science, expand health care and strengthen communities worldwide.

Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the company's Web site at http://www.abbott.com.

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