ARAMARK Demonstrates Commitment to Today's Youth Through Community Partnerships.

Business Editors

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 21, 2002

ARAMARK (NYSE:RMK), a world leader in managed services, is demonstrating its commitment to today's youth through long-term partnerships with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America, Reading is Fundamental and Junior Achievement.

In recent years, ARAMARK employees have expanded their volunteering efforts from a holiday service campaign to a year-round commitment. Nearly 13,000 volunteers have dedicated their time and procured donations of products and services worth $1 million for more than 1,500 non-profit organizations nationwide.

Through an initiative named "Share Opportunity," ARAMARK allocates a portion of its philanthropic resources to assist young people through mentoring, skill development and scholarships.

Each year, thousands of ARAMARK employees contribute skills and expertise to schools and non-profit organizations nationwide through fundraising, mentoring programs, tutoring and literacy efforts and other leadership activities. ARAMARK employees are helping children to develop the skills, goals and confidence they need to reach their full potential.

Every ARAMARK employee receives an annual call to service from ARAMARK Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Neubauer. "We believe service is a way of life in both business and in the communities we serve. By mentoring today's youth, we are helping to prepare the next generation for a future full of opportunities," Neubauer said.

From Florida to Chicago to Seattle, ARAMARK employee volunteers contribute their talents, their time and their expertise to community programs and charitable organizations, including The American Red Cross, American Cancer Society, The Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, The Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, and United Cerebral Palsy, in addition to Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America, Reading is Fundamental and Junior Achievement.

Some examples of ARAMARK's community outreach include:

-- In Philadelphia, ARAMARK employees serve as mentors with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Association's school-based mentoring program. The program matches students with ARAMARK employees who offer support and share individual work experiences as well as general views on life.

-- ARAMARK volunteers in the Chicago area sponsored the local Junior Achievement Conference and the DuPage County Character Development Coalition's Leadership Day for middle school students in 2002. In addition, the volunteers dedicated more than 70 hours to "Chicago Cares," a non-profit organization that responds to the critical human service, educational and environmental needs of individuals in need. ARAMARK volunteers helped improve the Chicago Public Schools by painting classrooms and planting trees.

-- Volunteers in the Detroit/Toledo area raised donations for the local Big Brothers/Big Sisters Halloween Haunted House event this month. ARAMARK volunteers will staff the event and serve food to participants. Upcoming volunteer efforts include sponsoring holiday parties for local schools and supporting children with specials needs through work with the Boy Scouts in the Detroit area.

-- This past spring, two ARAMARK volunteers taught business and entrepreneurial skills to high school students at Philadelphia's William Penn High School through Junior Achievement. For a ten-week session, the ARAMARK "teachers" led a number of business related discussions on topics such as teamwork, career development, human resources and information technology.

In 2002, ARAMARK received a special award from the Pennsylvania Division of the American Cancer Society for the company's outstanding dedication to and support of the Relay for Life, a community event designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for research and programs for the American Cancer Society.

For the third consecutive year, ARAMARK was the top corporate sponsor in Pennsylvania at the Relay for Life.

About ARAMARK

ARAMARK is a world leader in providing managed services, including food, facility and other support services, uniform and career apparel and childcare and early education. ARAMARK has leadership positions serving the business, education, healthcare, government, sports and recreation sectors.

ARAMARK is ranked No. 1 in the outsourcing services category and is among the Top 50 companies overall in FORTUNE Magazine's 2002 "Most Admired Companies in America." Headquartered in Philadelphia, ARAMARK has approximately 200,000 employees serving customers in 18 countries.