Washington, DC, July 21, 2010 - For over 100 years in neighborhoods across America, hard-working people of limited means have relied on community centers to meet basic needs such as food, clothing, job training, and childcare. The recession has increased demand for these vital services as families who have never before requested help are now struggling to make ends meet; while those who had little before the recession began now have even less.
Although there are signs of recovery, many local families and organizations are still feeling the impact. With unemployment in the District of Columbia at its highest level in more than 30 years, thousands of residents are struggling to meet their basic needs. For example, two out of five households with children said they had difficulty paying for food last year, according to the Food Research and Action Center. More residents are turning to school lunches and food stamps for support, and demand for emergency food help and basic needs services has also increased.
Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Care serves as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and provides healthcare, education and social services to low-income families throughout the District of Columbia. The Center is also part of the working group launching First Lady Michelle Obama’s Lets Read Let’s Move.. Like many community centers, the recession has caused Mary’s Center to experience a growing demand for services, while dealing with limited resources.
“This tough economy has had a major impact on us at Mary’s Center and community centers across the city are suffering from a decline in funding. Donations of all kinds are down by 50 percent while the number of people relying on us for help has doubled,” said Maria Gomez, Mary’s Center president and CEO. “People are looking for everything from emergency financial assistance and food to childcare while they go job hunting. We are pushing the limits of what we can provide.”
The creation of partnerships has been crucial in strengthening the Center’s ability to provide programs and services for Washington D.C. families in need. Now, Mary’s Center will receive support through a new partnership with ARAMARK, the global professional services company.
On Wednesday, August 4, more than 100 ARAMARK employees will dedicate their time, energy, and talents to enhancing the physical environment of Mary’s Center. This project launches a partnership between Mary’s Center and ARAMARK Building Community that will leverage the skills and expertise of ARAMARK employees to expand the Center’s ability to respond to the increasing needs of its community. The volunteer project and ongoing relationship with Mary’s Center is part of the 40-city ARAMARK Building Community tour engaging thousands of employees in the U.S. and around the world. Launched in 2008, ARAMARK Building Community, the company’s signature volunteer and philanthropic program, supports the important work of local community centers to provide solutions to help families succeed and achieve.
“It’s amazing that community centers, such as Mary’s Center, operate with very limited resources yet provide basic human services to thousands of community residents,” said Liza Cartmell, President, ARAMARK Sports, Entertainment and Conventions and local ARAMARK Building Community executive sponsor. “ARAMARK has a talented employee base with diverse skills that can make a larger, lasting impact on communities. We are expanding our work with community centers to the District of Columbia to support their efforts to address hunger, joblessness, lack of affordable childcare, and the need for emergency assistance so families and communities can succeed.”
ARAMARK employees will complete 16 enhancement projects creating a more vibrant, safe, and inspiring environment for community members who use the facilities. These include:
- Creation of an Emergency Supply/Clothing Room -- Transforming an area of the Center’s parking garage into an emergency supply/clothing room that will provide children and families with clothing, school supplies and critical items for expectant mothers. ARAMARK employees are hosting a drive to provide additional school supplies, books and infant items for these families.
- Garden Enhancement -- Painting outdoor walls, planting new trees and landscaping to beautify the garden and make it safer, brighter and more functional;
- Refurbishing Classrooms and the Teens’ Room – Creating inspirational murals, painting interior walls and constructing new storage units and shelves to enhance the facilities and create an environment where youth can learn and grow.
The enhancement project is the first of many events planned at Mary’s Center through the ARAMARK Building Community partnership. Employee volunteers will return to the Center August 14 to support a Health and Wellness Fair that will provide hundreds of DC families with access to health screenings, information on nutrition and healthy eating habits and an ABC Eat Smart Zone with ARAMARK culinary experts, among other activities.
“This relationship is the beginning of future programs that will benefit our community,” said Gomez. “ARAMARK’s commitment to Mary’s Center lends a hand where it’s most needed and supports our ability to give people the dignity and resources they need.”
About Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Care
Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Care is a federally qualified health care center that has been serving DC Metro area residents for twenty two years. The mission of Mary’s Center is to build better futures through delivery of health care, education and social services as we continue save lives and strengthen communities, one family at a time. www.maryscenter.org
About ARAMARK Building Community
ARAMARK Building Community enriches the lives of families in need by supporting local community centers to help people of all generations learn, earn and thrive. ARAMARK recognizes the important role community centers play in addressing the comprehensive needs of individuals and families and is providing a range of resources including grants, volunteers and in-kind contributions. Through ARAMARK Building Community, volunteers will use their expertise to help youth and adults develop critical, employable work skills and connect them to career opportunities; support families with nutrition and wellness education; provide basic needs such as food and clothing; and help identified partners run cleaner, safer and more efficient facilities to enhance and strengthen the Center’s programs on an ongoing basis.
About ARAMARK
ARAMARK is a leader in professional services, providing award-winning food services, facilities management, and uniform and career apparel to health care institutions, universities and school districts, stadiums and arenas, and businesses around the world. The company is recognized as one of the "World's Most Ethical Companies" by the Ethisphere Institute, as the industry leader in FORTUNE magazine's "World's Most Admired Companies," and as one of America's Largest Private Companies by both FORTUNE and Forbes magazines. ARAMARK seeks to responsibly address issues that matter to its clients, customers, employees and communities by focusing on employee advocacy, environmental stewardship, health and wellness, and community involvement. Headquartered in Philadelphia, ARAMARK has approximately 255,000 employees serving clients in 22 countries. Learn more at www.twitter.com/aramarknews.
Contacts:
ARAMARK
Bev Dribin
215-238-8267
Dribin-bev@aramark.com
Allison & Partners
Jeannie Horner
619-533-7977
Jeannie@allisonpr.com