Indianapolis, IN, August 3, 2009 – Southeast Community Services, Inc. (SECS) will receive a much-deserved facelift from hard-working volunteers at ARAMARK, the global professional services company. This event jump starts a new partnership with SECS and is part of ARAMARK Building Community, a company-wide initiative that fosters long-term support for local community centers in more than 25 cities.

On Wednesday, August 12, Southeast Community Services, an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing self-sufficiency for hundreds of low-income residents in economically challenged inner-city neighborhoods, will receive a substantial transformation, including the creation of a food pantry that will be supplied with food items collected by ARAMARK volunteers. Other projects include: painting a variety of murals for rooms throughout the facility, construction of storage units, shelves and benches, and landscaping the outside area with new flower beds.

“Southeast Community Services has directly felt the burn of the recession—with the greatest challenge being the demand for services,” said Terri Garcia, executive director of SECS. “This partnership really could not have come at a better time. The center provides services free-of-charge to our residents, funded through community donations. ARAMARK will add much-needed enhancements to the center that would not have happened without their generosity and support.”

The current economic landscape places more importance on community centers than ever before. Community centers are on the front lines in addressing some of our nation’s most pressing social issues, including poverty, education, joblessness, obesity, youth development and caring for aging seniors.

According to a November 2008 poll conducted by International Communications Research* on behalf of ARAMARK, 61 percent of Americans believe that the role community centers play will be more important than ever in the current economic climate. Of the services that community centers provide, respondents believe that access to basics like food and clothing, affordable childcare and preschool, job training and after school programs are the most important services offered, though the order of what is most important varies by age, region, education and race. Respondents also believe that community centers have a great opportunity to generate support from non-members by educating the general public about the services they provide in their local neighborhoods.

“At a time when many may be considering cutting back on volunteer resources because of the current economic situation, ARAMARK Building Community is an example of our ongoing commitment to our communities,” said Tom Vozzo, Executive Vice President and President ARAMARK Uniform and Career Apparel. “It’s important that we partner with organizations such as SECS who are doing the hard work of ensuring individuals in Indianapolis have the resources they need to support their families and gain self-sufficiency in a healthy and safe environment.”

ARAMARK Building Community and this enhancement project with SECS, and others across the country, demonstrates the company’s dedication to employee volunteer service and is a leading example of a project supporting “United We Serve”, a national effort launched by President Obama to engage more Americans in serving their communities this summer. United We Serve focuses on four key areas: education, health, energy and the environment, and community renewal (serve.gov).

*The study was conducted for ARAMARK via telephone by International Communications Research, an independent research company. Interviews were conducted November 7-11, 2008 among a representative sample of 1017 adults aged 18 years or older. The margin of error is +/-3.07% at the 95% confidence level. More information about ICR can be obtained by visiting www.icrsurvey.com

About Southest Community Services, Inc.
Since 1972, Southeast Community Services (SECS) has served as an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing self-sufficiency for hundreds of low-income residents in economically challenged inner-city neighborhoods. Infants, youth, adults and seniors all benefit from SECS, whose services include: employment counseling and placements, life skills training, information and referral, and emergency assistance. At Southeast, at-risk individuals and families have expanded educational and employment opportunities that - for many of them - make the difference between success and failure.

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. In FORTUNE magazine's 2009 list of "World's Most Admired Companies," ARAMARK was ranked number one in its industry, consistently ranking since 1998 as one of the top three most admired companies in its industry as evaluated by peers and analysts. 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 260,000 employees serving clients in 22 countries. Learn more at www.twitter.com/aramarknews.

Contacts:
Bev Dribin, ARAMARK
215-238-8267
dribin-bev@aramark.com

Emily Donohue, Allison & Partners
646-428-0622
emily@allisonpr.com