Back on My Feet, the national nonprofit organization committed to addressing homelessness, announced Eric J. Foss, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Aramark, as a new member of their National Board of Directors.
Back on My Feet combats homelessness through the power of running, community support and essential employment and housing resources in 12 cities across the country, including Philadelphia, Aramark’s headquarters city.
“I am honored to join forces with Back on My Feet to help strengthen local communities in Philadelphia and around the country,” said Foss. “A vital element of Aramark’s mission to enrich and nourish lives, includes supporting and empowering people to succeed through education and employment. Back on My Feet has a proven track record, using the passion of running, to galvanize people to move from homelessness to economic independence, and we are excited to lace up together.”
Back on My Feet and Aramark are launching a national partnership that will include financial support for the Back on My Feet program, national and local Board leadership, employee volunteerism and a shared commitment to enable individuals to lead healthier lives. Aramark has a longstanding dedication to helping people succeed through education and employment, and will provide volunteers to support Back on My Feet’s Next Steps job skills training program and offer employment opportunities for program participants.
“Back on My Feet and Aramark are naturally aligned in our mission to focus on education and employment to aid in individual growth and success. We are excited to embark on this partnership with Aramark, building on our workforce development resources and providing opportunities for employment to our program participants,” said Katy Sherratt, Back on My Feet CEO. “In addition to programmatic support, we welcome Eric as a new member of our Board of Directors, and look forward to his strategic input for the future growth of our organization.”
Foss serves on the Board of Directors of Aramark, Cigna and Catalyst; and is a member of the Business Roundtable, the Wall Street Journal CEO Council and the American Heart Association CEO Roundtable.
About Back on My Feet
Back on My Feet combats homelessness through the power of running, community support and essential employment and housing resources. Operating in 12 major cities coast-to-coast, Back on My Feet recruits members at homeless and residential facilities and begins with a commitment to run three days a week. The second phase of the program, Next Steps, provides educational support, job training programs, employment partnership referrals and housing resources. Since 2007, over 70% of our members successfully moved their lives forward through employment, education or housing, which translates to more than 5,500 jobs and homes. 2,100+ members have gone on to complete further education and/or training programs. Of those who find employment, 83% are still employed after 15 months, 44% receive a wage increase within the first 6 months and 21% achieve a promotion. Our members start, on average, at $12.75/hr. versus the national minimum wage of $7.25/hr. Through our innovative program, Back on My Feet proves that there is hope, that individuals can achieve things they never thought possible and that there are people who will support them along the way. For additional information, visit www.backonmyfeet.org.
About Aramark
Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) proudly serves the world’s leading educational institutions, Fortune 500 companies, world champion sports teams, prominent healthcare providers, iconic destinations and cultural attractions, and numerous municipalities in 19 countries around the world with food, facilities, and uniform services. Because our culture is rooted in service, our employees strive to do great things for each other, our partners, our communities, and our planet. Aramark has been named to DiversityInc’s “Top 50 Companies for Diversity” list, the Forbes list of “America’s Best Employers for Diversity,” the HRC’s “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality” and scored 100% on the Disability Equality Index. Learn more at www.aramark.com and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
