Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, headquartered in Center City, Minnesota, is the largest nonprofit addiction treatment organization in the United States and one of the most recognized names in the field worldwide. Donations primarily fund treatment scholarships for patients who cannot afford care. This page explains the foundation's work, where gifts go, and how to seek treatment.
Hazelden began in 1949 as a small farmhouse retreat in Center City, Minnesota. In 2014 it merged with the Betty Ford Center to form the largest nonprofit addiction treatment organization in the country. The Center City campus remains the flagship, offering residential treatment, outpatient programs, family support, and continuing care.
Treatment is only part of the operation. The foundation funds addiction research through its Research Center, which publishes peer-reviewed work that influences treatment standards nationwide. It also trains addiction counselors and publishes educational materials used around the world. Underlying all of it is an approach that treats addiction as a health issue rather than a moral failing, a distinction that shapes how care is actually delivered.
The clearest use of donor money here is patient scholarships. Residential addiction treatment is expensive, and insurance coverage is inconsistent; scholarships funded by donations pay for treatment for patients who could not otherwise afford it. Gifts also support the research and education work that extends beyond any single patient.
Donations go through hazeldenbettyford.org/donate. One thing to know going in: this is not an organization where you show up to volunteer on a Saturday. Clinical settings and patient privacy rule out the drop-in volunteering common at food banks, so financial support is the practical way for most people to help.
If you are researching this organization because someone needs help, the official site outlines residential and outpatient programs, family support services, and continuing care. The Minnesota campus in Center City is the flagship location, and the foundation operates sites in other states as well; check hazeldenbettyford.org for current locations, admissions, and insurance details. Family programs exist because addiction affects households, not just individuals, and they are worth asking about during admissions.
As with any charity, confirm tax-exempt status via the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search at apps.irs.gov and review the foundation's Charity Navigator profile before a significant gift. Written acknowledgments are required for deducting donations of $250 or more, so keep them.
Sources: Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation official site (hazeldenbettyford.org); our Minnesota charity guide research. Retrieved July 2026. We are not affiliated with Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and receive no compensation for this listing. Spotted an error? [email protected]
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