Aramark Global Day of Community Service Adapts to Community Needs During Pandemic

Company is activating new ways to demonstrate its commitment to enrich and nourish lives in communities around the world

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aramark’s global day of community service, Aramark Building Community (ABC) Day, is taking on a new look this year, due to the COVID pandemic. The global leader in food, facilities management and uniforms, is demonstrating its commitment to enrich and nourish lives in communities around the world, by donating back to school and health supplies to public schools, providing thousands of dollars in grants to dozens of ABC partners, and encouraging employees to get involved in their local neighborhood through material/supply or online donations.

“We are proud of everything our teams are doing to support our local communities throughout this incredibly challenging year. While we won’t be able to celebrate Aramark Building Community Day in person this year, we will continue to Care. Give. Do. by working closely with our community partners to allocate funding and supplies where they are needed -- pandemic relief, food insecurity, or other community projects,” said John Zillmer, Aramark’s Chief Executive Officer.

Today, in the spirit of ABC Day, Aramark is supporting local communities globally in a variety of ways.

BACK TO SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Aramark is distributing back to school supply kits to four School Health Model for Academics Reaching All and Transforming Lives (SMART) Health Clinics within the Chicago Public Schools district. More than 3,600 students will receive necessary supplies for virtual learning, including a drawstring bag, pencil pouch, notebook, crayons, pencils, headphones and more. In addition to these back to school kits, Aramark employees conducted a drive to provide school supplies to an additional 600 students in South and West Chicago.

In Pickens, AL, Aramark is partnering with SMART Health Clinics to deliver student health supplies to four schools. School principals will be presented with necessary supplies, including alcohol wipes, hand sanitizer, disposable masks and hand soap, which will benefit more than 2,000 students.

COMMUNITY GRANTS

Aramark is providing direct grants to non-profit service organizations in 60 cities across the US, Chile, Argentina, Mexico, Canada and South Korea. These grants will be used for food, emergency supplies, back to school kits and general health and wellness supplies/education and will benefit more than 105,000 people.

DONATIONS

• Earlier this month, Aramark donated 250,000 face masks to the American Red Cross. The masks will be worn by Red Cross staff at blood drives during the COVID-19 pandemic, protecting workers and the volunteer donors who are key to saving lives.
• Aramark has also previously provided 25,000 cloth masks to the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities, to share with their nationwide network of members.
• The Aramark Supply Chain team donated 1,000 bottles of hand sanitizer to a Miami-based nonprofit to include in back to school supply kits.

While in-person volunteer activities and group projects have been suspended, Aramark volunteers will continue to be involved in their local communities through socially distanced donation drives with family, friends and neighbors. The local effort is being led by Aramark Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) which create safe spaces for different community members and their allies. Six ERGs, including Pride, Synergy, Rising Sun, LEAD, Empower and Impacto, are coordinating donations to a diverse portfolio of community partners across the US.

As part of Be Well. Do Well., Aramark’s plan to positively impact people and planet, the company is working to reduce inequality, build local communities and increase access to opportunities. The Company is investing in partnerships, like those with City Year, SMART Health Clinics and the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities, to help communities achieve food security, increase access to education and ensure healthy lives for all.

About Aramark Building Community

Aramark has invested tens of millions of dollars in expertise, financial and in-kind resources to strengthen communities through Aramark Building Community, the company’s commitment to build local communities and help people succeed through education and employment. Since its inception in 2008, more than 70,000 Aramark employees have volunteered their time and talent to support Aramark Building Community projects, impacting more than five million children and families in underserved communities. Learn more at http://www.aramark.com/responsibility.

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. We deliver innovative experiences and services in food, facilities management and uniforms to millions of people every day. We strive to create a better world by making a positive impact on people and the planet, including commitments to engage our employees; empower healthy consumers; build local communities; source ethically, inclusively and responsibly; operate efficiently and reduce waste. Aramark is recognized as a Best Place to Work by the Human Rights Campaign (LGBTQ+), DiversityInc, Equal Employment Publications and the Disability Equality Index. Learn more at www.aramark.com or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.