More Than 100 ARAMARK Volunteers Refurbish Local Facility, Establish ARAMARK Building Community Opportunity Zone to Encourage Healthy Lifestyles for Brothers of Charity Upton, Innishannon

(3BL Media) Cork, Ireland - August 29, 2012 - A team of over 100 ARAMARK employees today rolled up their sleeves to help Brothers of Charity, St Patricks Upton, Innishannon, a community facility supporting adults with intellectual disabilities. Employees donated their time, energy and expertise and helped refurbish the entire center, landscape its grounds and create an ARAMARK Building Community Opportunity Zone that will be a hub of ongoing healthy eating and physical fitness for residents and the greater community. In addition, ARAMARK will launch a year-round skills enhancement and nutrition education program for staff and residents.

ARAMARK, Ireland’s leading food service, environmental, facilities and property management company, organized the day’s event as part of ARAMARK Building Community, the company’s global philanthropic and volunteer program that strengthens community centers and helps struggling families.

“ARAMARK Building Community is all about bringing together the expertise and enthusiasm of our employees to supporting the local community and encouraging the important role of strengthening neighborhoods and families. Our work here today deepens our ongoing partnership with Brothers of Charity St Patrick’s Upton and we believe will help facilitate their positive impact on the local Innishannon community,” said Donal O‘Brien, CEO ARAMARK Ireland.

Gobnait Nì Chrualaoì, Sector Manager at Brothers of Charity added, “Thirty-four men and women live at St. Patrick’s Upton and range in age from 30 to 91 years old. In addition, there are 20 people who come to Upton during the week for a day service. Generally speaking, people availing of services in Upton require a high level of support in their day-to-day lives. In all that we do, we aim to ensure people maintain as much independence as possible. ARAMARK is helping to support our aims and the greater community with its skills enhancement and we welcome this partnership and the support shown here today.”

This effort is part of ARAMARK Building Community, the company’s global volunteer and philanthropic program focused on strengthening local community centers and helping struggling families. Through ABC, employees use their culinary, hospitality, food and nutrition; facilities management; and human resources talents to make an impact and increase access to basic services during large-scale volunteer days and year-round.

In 2012, ARAMARK employees will host more than 100 new volunteer projects worldwide, including creating 15 ABC Opportunity Zones.  ARAMARK has invested more than $7 million in volunteer expertise, cash and in-kind resources to strengthen the capacity of local community centers in four countries.

ARAMARK Ireland is a leading provider of professional services to clients in the pharmaceutical, financial services, IT and manufacturing sectors, as well as institutions in the educational and healthcare sector.  Employing almost 4,000 people throughout the island of Ireland, ARAMARK Ireland is headquartered in Dublin, with regional offices in Cork, Limerick and Belfast.

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. Since 2008, more than 15,000 ARAMARK employees have participated in over 500 volunteer activities. Nearly 3 million individuals and families served by community centers in nearly 50 cities have been aided by the program through workforce training and job placement; nutrition education and awareness programs; access to food and clothing; and by having a safer place to learn and thrive. Visit ARAMARK for more information. Please join us on Facebook.