Wisconsin-based Chris Farley Foundation shuts down

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MADISON, Wis. — A Wisconsin charity named after the late comedian Chris Farley has shut down after more than a decade of helping others fight substance abuse.

Farley's brother, Tom Farley, announced Tuesday that The Chris Farley Foundation would immediately cease operations.

The charity was founded in 1998 after former "Saturday Night Live" performer Chris Farley died of an overdose. The charity sought to reduce peer pressure and substance abuse through humor and improv.

Tom Farley would travel to schools, delivering anywhere from a one-hour presentation to a day-long workshop.

Farley tells the Wisconsin State Journal (http://bit.ly/OmeW7w) that he was able to use his brother's stardom to produce a message that resonated with children.

But funding for the foundation has been declining because of tighter school budgets and fewer grants.