Sodexo, 1-800-FLOWERS.com and American Heart Association Team Up to Warm, Protect and Heal Hearts

(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed) GAITHERSBURG, MD -  October 4, 2010 - Hospital patients, retirement community residents and others will receive a gift of roses that will help in the fight against two of the leading causes of death in America – heart disease and stroke. Sodexo, North America's leading provider of “Quality of Daily Life Solutions” and 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc., the world's leading florist and gift shop have joined together to launch the “Have A Heart” program, which benefits the American Heart Association’s (AHA) cardiovascular research and heart health educational programs. 

Sodexo will be offering the promotion in many of its to 1,600 Health Care locations across North America, providing customers with the opportunity to purchase roses for $3 each from October 12 through November 12, with all profits going to the AHA. The roses can be purchased by anyone in the hospital or senior living community (friends, family, co-workers) or on the on-site Sodexo team. Some clients have indicated interest in using the roses as employee recognition as well.   “This is a natural tie-in to our philosophy that patients and residents are the heart of everything we do,” explains Patrick Connolly, president of Sodexo’s health care market. “While brightening peoples’ days with roses, we will also be helping fund life-saving research and education in the hopes that they will have many more healthy and happy days in the future.”   “We are excited to collaborate with Sodexo to help fight heart disease and stroke in America,” says Jim McCann, CEO and Founder 1-800-FLOWERS.COM.”By participating in the Have a Heart program, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM and Sodexo can further the effort to support the important works of the American Heart Association and deliver smiles across the nation.”   “We are thankful for the support of these organizations as beneficiaries of the Have A Heart program,” said Gabrielle Urquhart, SVP for the AHA’s Greater Washington Region. “Together we can make a different in the heart health of our communities.”   About Sodexo   Sodexo in North America Sodexo, Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com), a member of Sodexo Group, is a leading provider of Comprehensive Service Solutions serving more than ten million customers daily in corporations, health care, long term care, retirement, schools, higher education, government and remote sites.   Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., Sodexo, Inc. operates in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, with $7.7 billion (USD) in annual revenue and 120,000 employees. The Sodexo Foundation (www.SodexoFoundation.org) is an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $12.7 million in grants to fight hunger in America. Visit the corporate blog at www.sodexoUSA.com/blog.   Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Daily Life Solutions Quality of Life plays an important role in the progress of individuals and the performance of organizations. Based on this conviction, Sodexo is the strategic partner for companies and institutions that place a premium on performance and well-being, as it has since Pierre Bellon founded the company in 1966. Sharing the same passion for service, Sodexo’s 380,000 employees, in 80 countries design, manage and deliver an unrivaled range of On-site Service Solutions and Motivation Solutions. Sodexo has created a new form of service business that contributes to the economic, social and environmental development of the communities, regions and countries in which it operates and to the fulfillment of its employees.   Key Figures (as of August 31, 2009) Sodexo in the World

14.7 billion euro consolidated revenue
380,000 employees
33,900 sites
50 million consumers served daily
80 countries
22nd largestemployer worldwide

Sodexo in North America

7.7 billion dollarsrevenue
120,000 employees
10 million consumers served daily
6,000 clients
700 facilities management sites
  Contacts John Friedman, Sodexo, 301 987-4456, john.friedman@sodexo.com Catherine Daniel, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, 516 237-4933, cdaniel@1800flowers.com Michelle Nostheide, American Heart Association, 804-965-6512, michelle.nostheide@heart.org  

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