ARAMARK Expands Employee Volunteerism Initiative

PHILADELPHIA -- ARAMARK, a provider of professional facility services, will dedicate more than $5 million in cash grants, volunteer hours and product donations toward improving neighborhood centers as part of a new philanthropic and employee volunteerism initiative.

Over the next several years, ”ARAMARK Building Community” plans to assist neighborhood community centers in nearly 30 cities by holding volunteer days to enhance the physical environment of each center through landscaping, painting, and refurbishing playgrounds.

In addition, volunteers will provide expertise and resources related to nutrition and wellness, workforce readiness and basic services, such as food and clothing drives and nutritional education as well as offering job skills and interview training.

“A commitment to communities is ingrained in the service culture of our company,” said Joseph Neubauer, ARAMARK chairman and CEO. ”We help our clients realize their core business objectives each and every day. Through ‘ARAMARK Building Community,’ we will help neighborhood centers realize their mission of assisting those communities where our employees also live and work.”

The “ARAMARK Building Community National Tour” began April 30, 2008 in Philadelphia. Every month for the next two years ARAMARK intends to announce additional relationships with community centers in 30 different cities as part of this ongoing initiative focused on local, long-term partnerships.

In addition to Philadelphia, other locations include Chicago (May 15), New York City (June 25), Los Angeles (July 17), and Detroit (August 21). Thousands of ARAMARK employees are expected to participate.

To mobilize volunteers across the country, ARAMARK is working with City Year’s Care Force division, one of the world’s leading organizations in engaging citizens in service to their communities. Working with City Year will ensure meaningful experiences for the ARAMARK employee volunteers while addressing pressing community center needs.

The foundation for “ARAMARK Building Community” began with a partnership with Neighborhood Centers Inc. (NCI) in Houston. Since early 2007, ARAMARK employees have led career fairs and hired new employees, hosted health and wellness fairs, introduced nutrition education to school students, and revitalized the environment at NCI’s Harbach-Ripley Neighborhood Center.

Over the next few years, ARAMARK will use the framework built with NCI to forge meaningful relationships with other community centers to enrich the lives of individuals and families across the country. More information about “ARAMARK Building Community” can be found at www.aramark.com.

Learn more at the company's Web site, www.aramark.com.