Philadelphia, PA, April 21, 2009 - Community
centers address some of the nation’s toughest challenges, especially
during difficult economic times. Whether it’s providing food to the
hungry, emergency shelter to families that have lost their homes, job
training to people looking for better opportunities, or clothing for
those fallen on hard times, neighborhood centers work to improve their
local communities and offer much-needed help to their neighbors.
ARAMARK,
a global leader in professional services, announced today that its
signature volunteer initiative, ARAMARK Building Community, will expand
from 12 to more than 25 communities around the world, and will offer
skilled employee volunteer support, in-kind donations and funding to
local community centers.
Launched in early 2008, ARAMARK
Building Community works with local community centers to strengthen
programs and enhance resources in core areas of workforce readiness,
basic needs, and nutrition and wellness by leveraging the unique
expertise of its 260,000 worldwide employees. By applying ARAMARK’s
culinary, nutrition, workforce training, and facilities management
skills, ARAMARK helps local centers meet the day-to-day needs of the
communities they serve.
“ARAMARK has always been at its heart a
company that embodies the idea of service," said ARAMARK Chairman and
CEO Joseph Neubauer. “The mission of ARAMARK Building Community stems
naturally from this culture. We are a company of people with unique
talents and skills, and when we put those to use at any task, including
helping our communities, the results are amazing."
A Global Approach to Local Impact
As
part of its ongoing commitment, ARAMARK has formed a partnership with
Families International, Inc. (FI), the non-profit parent organization
for the Alliance for Children and Families (Alliance) and United
Neighborhood Centers of America (UNCA). Through this new relationship,
ARAMARK will support more than 25 ongoing community center partnerships
which include:
- Community Center Enhancement Days, where
hundreds of ARAMARK employees in a region volunteer to refurbish
community center facilities. More than 10,000 ARAMARK employees are
expected to participate in events in 2009.
- Career fairs to help prepare and connect youth and adults to jobs.
- Health and wellness events to educate families about how to live a healthier lifestyle.
“These
are challenging times for children, families and communities,” said
Peter Goldberg, President & CEO of Families International. “These
times demand innovative, strategic, effective and compassionate
responses. That’s why partnerships like the one we now have with
ARAMARK are so important. They enable community centers to meet the
growing and very real demand for support services and ensure that we
can continue to meet the growing and increasingly poignant challenges
of more and more American families.”
With a combined membership
of more than 510 community-based organizations, Alliance and UNCA
members represent a significant force in the human services sector,
serving more than 8,000 communities, employing 65,000 staff, engaging
10,000 volunteer board members, and mobilizing more than $6 billion in
services and programs for millions of clients/customers annually.
Upcoming
ARAMARK Building Community center enhancement day projects will take
place in Philadelphia (April 24), Chicago (May 14), New York City (May
21), London (June 5), Los Angeles (June 25), Baltimore (July 23),
Indianapolis (August 12), Kansas City (August 20), Boston (September
22), to name a few. Throughout the year additional community center
partnerships and service events will be announced in several other
communities.
Since its inception in early 2008, ARAMARK Building
Community has brought together more than 5,000 ARAMARK volunteers to
conduct 15 refurbishment projects, health and wellness events and
career fairs in more than 12 metropolitan areas in the United States.
ARAMARK announced it will dedicate more than $5 million in cash grants,
volunteer hours and product donations over three years to address
important community needs through ARAMARK Building Community.
About Families International (and affiliated associations)
Families
International Inc., the nonprofit parent company for the Alliance for
Children and Families, Ways to Work, FEI Behavioral Health, and United
Neighborhood Centers of America, provides strategic guidance, helps
attain economies of scale, and manages operational efficiencies across
all five organizations. United Neighborhood Centers of America is the
national network for settlement houses, neighborhood centers, and
community centers in the United States of America (www.UNCA.org).
The Alliance for Children and Families is a national membership
association of nonprofit human service providers that strengthens the
capacities of its members to serve and advocate for children, families,
and communities (www.alliance1.org).
Contacts: