Million-Dollar Gift Pushes Research Facility Closer to Goal

The H.E. Butt Grocery Co. recently contributed $1 million to the construction of The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center’s George and Cynthia Mitchell Basic Sciences Research Building, bringing the building campaign to approximately 90 percent of its philanthropic fund-raising goal.

The building campaign, one of the institution’s top funding priorities, has received contributions of $67.5 million, with a target of $75 million in private funds.

The 18-story, 500,000 square-foot basic science research facility is on schedule for completion and initial occupancy in late November, with operations expected to begin by next June. The $222 million research facility will include six floors of research laboratories plus small-animal vivariums, an auditorium, conference facilities and classrooms for The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, a shared program of M.D. Anderson and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

In more than 30 years of support, HEB has contributed more than $4.1 million to such initiatives as the Frederick F. Becker Distinguished University Chair for Cancer Research, “Fulfill the Promise” capital campaign, Scientific Achievement Fund, as well as research in breast and prostate cancer.

In addition, HEB’s Central Market donated $100,000 from its opening week in Houston to the Volunteer Endowment of Patient Support, a program of M.D. Anderson’s Volunteer Services. Central Market also has hosted an educational series in which M.D. Anderson speakers addressed nutrition, complementary medicine and the Internet as health information resources. The store also serves as a paperback book drop location for donations to the Patient/Family Library.

Charles C. Butt, chairman and CEO of HEB, has served on the institution’s visitor’s board since 1975.

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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