At some point in your life you have likely sunk your teeth into a Jimmy Dean sausage, and thanks to loyal fans, the pork product king has been able to amass a fortune.
Now Dean says it’s time to give back.
The sausage titan just donated $1 million to Texas’ Wayland Baptist University. In doing so Dean makes history for providing the small school of just about 1,000 students with the biggest single gift ever donated by an individual.
Ironically, Dean has never stepped foot in an institution of higher learning. In fact, he is a self-professed drop out who left his Plainview, Texas high school in 1946 to work and help his mother.
The 79-year-old businessman says he wants his million-dollar donation to finance a scholarship in his later mother’s memory.
“I’ve been so blessed, and it makes me proud to give back, especially to my hometown,” Dean told audience members gathered to watch him hand over the check to school officials.
Many people don’t realize that before Dean got into the breakfast sausage business he made a name for himself in country music. He starred in “The Jimmy Dean Show” from 1963 to 1966 on ABC as well as acting in TV and movies.
Following Dean’s lead, Jennifer Garner and her famous actor husband Ben Affleck are also giving back to help a college in need.
The actress has reportedly signed up to help raise money to build a new athletic complex at her hometown university in West Virginia.
University of Charleston administrators say Garner and Affleck will serve as honorary hosts at a September 19th fundraiser. School officials are hoping the handsome pair will help raise $500,000 of the $20 million needed to construct the sports complex, which will house the school’s basketball and volleyball programs.
Yesterday Garner told reporters that the University of Charleston was “incredibly positive when I was a kid.” The actress added that she would like to see the school continue to grow by lending her star power to the fundraising event.
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