[July 26, 2011]

ARAMARK Develops Community Health, Obesity Solutions Through Partnership with Mission Neighborhood Centers

For many young people in the Mission District, access to healthy food, nutrition education and physical fitness programs isn't easy to come by. ARAMARK, the global professional services company, is working to change that. A team of 100 employee volunteers will create a revitalized, safe space for recreation, fitness, urban gardening and nutrition education at the Precita Valley Community Center as part of a long-term partnership between the company and Mission Neighborhood Centers (MNC), parent organization of the center.

The development of the ARAMARK Building Community Urban Health Garden will be central to a series of health and wellness programs that will take place at the center that hundreds of at-risk youth rely on every day to provide a safe, empowering environment. The fruit and vegetable garden will be incorporated into student programs, and the young people will be responsible for watering, weeding and maintaining the plants. ARAMARK expert dietitians, chefs and culinary professionals will enhance the health and awareness program by providing nutrition education for neighborhood children and adults.

"Most of our youth come from a single-parent household with limited income to survive, let alone purchase fresh, healthy meals. Processed foods with high fat and sugar content are their primary diets," explained Maria Bermudez, Operations Director. The center is located in an area where 23.8 percent of the childhood population is obese.

ARAMARK Building Community, the company's signature philanthropic and volunteer program, enriches the lives of families by strengthening local community centers. ARAMARK develops long-term partnerships with organizations, like Mission Neighborhood Centers and Precita Valley, to improve facilities, prepare youth and adults for careers and connect them to the workforce, and encourage healthy lifestyles through health and wellness education and awareness.

"ARAMARK continues to build their partnership with us to deepen their impact in our community, and on the issues we face," Bermudez said.

"ARAMARK's work here today, and our ongoing health and wellness program support, will make an impact in this community for a long time," said Prentiss Hall, Regional Vice President, Business Dining, ARAMARK. "ARAMARK employees are here today from all over the region, they bring their time, their energy, their expertise to help Precita Valley provide so many needed services to families."

Precita Valley Community Center, which has been serving young people since 1922, is located in a community where the unemployment rate is over 9.3 percent. It serves families living at or below the poverty level, and works with students who are failing in school. Six of the state's failing schools are in the Mission District served by the center.

"We work hard to close the achievement gap," Bermudez said. "We also provide educational workshops on health and nutrition, physical fitness and life skills. ARAMARK is helping to support these programs so we can better serve our youth."

ARAMARK Building Community supports local community centers and the important role they play in strengthening communities and families. The company provides a range of resources including grants, volunteers and in-kind contributions. Volunteers use their expertise to help youth and adults develop critical work skills and connect to career opportunities; support families with nutrition and wellness education; provide basic needs such as food and clothing; and help community center partners run cleaner, safer and more efficient facilities. By the end of 2011 ARAMARK Building Community will be in more than 50 cities impacting more than 2.5 million individuals and families in the US and abroad.

About Mission Neighborhood Centers

Now in its 52^nd year, Mission Neighborhood Centers (MNC), parent of Precita Valley Community Center), is an anchor institution for San Francisco's highest-risk children, youth, families and senior citizens. It provides a continuum of culturally appropriate, multi-generational programs that support an individual's life span. MNC promotes and develops leadership through community-based services that empower individuals and families to build strong, healthy, and vibrant neighborhoods. MNC offers a range of programs in five low-income San Francisco neighborhoods, at 10 sites, and impacts the lives of more than 2,500 people a year.

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 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 the company's Web site, www.aramark.com, or www.twitter.com/aramarknews

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