Atlanta Union Mission to Be Refurbished by More Than 100 ARAMARK Employee Volunteers.

Volunteers Will Redesign the Center's Clothing Storage Room and Stock It with Much-Needed Winter Items, among Other Projects

ATLANTA -- Atlanta Union Mission will receive a much-deserved facelift from more than 100 employees of ARAMARK, the global provider of professional services, on Wednesday, Oct. 14. This project launches a new, long-term partnership between Atlanta Union Mission and ARAMARK Building Community, a company-wide initiative that fosters long-term support for local community centers in more than 25 cities.

Atlanta Union Mission provides emergency rescue food and shelter, residential recovery programs and transitional housing to as many as 1,144 homeless and addicted men, women and children daily. One of its six locations, My Sisters House (921 Howell Mill Road), will be transformed by ARAMARK volunteers participating in 31 service projects, including the refurbishment of its clothing storage room that will be supplied with clothing items collected by volunteers. Other projects include: revitalizing the outdoor playground and garden, creating new picnic tables and planter boxes, constructing bookshelves and benches, and painting a variety of murals for rooms throughout the facility.

"In today's economy the increased value of volunteers is undeniable, especially considering that rising unemployment has significantly increased the demand for Atlanta Union Mission's services over the past year," said James Gleghorn, chief development officer of Atlanta Union Mission. "These facility enhancement projects and the partnership with ARAMARK Building Community really could not have come at a better time. The center provides services free-of-charge to our residents, funded through community donations, so the day's projects will add much-needed enhancements to the center that would not have happened without the generosity and support of ARAMARK volunteers."

The current economic landscape, combined with the recent floods throughout the state, places more importance on community centers than ever before. Community centers are on the front lines in addressing some of the nation's most pressing social issues, including poverty, education, joblessness, obesity, youth development and caring for aging seniors.

Nonprofits in Georgia, and around the country, are seeing dramatic increases in demand for services while simultaneously experiencing declines in funding sources. In fact, 64 percent of nonprofits indicated significant increases in demand in the first quarter of 2009, according to a survey conducted by the Georgia Center for Nonprofits*. The survey also found that the greatest area of decline for nonprofit fundraising was, by far, in corporate or business giving; more than 50 percent of organizations saw a decrease in direct grants or other types of support from the business community.

"At this time when support for social service organizations is needed most and many organizations have cut back on volunteer resources, ARAMARK Building Community demonstrates our continued community commitment," said Dennis Maple, President of ARAMARK Education and local ARAMARK Building Community executive sponsor. "It's important that we connect our expertise and resources to work with non-profits, such as the Atlanta Union Mission, who are doing the hard work of ensuring individuals have the support they need to take care of their families and gain self-sufficiency in healthy and safe environments."

According to a 2008 poll conducted by International Communications Research** on behalf of ARAMARK, 61 percent of Americans believe that the role community centers play will be more important than ever in the current economic climate. Of the services that community centers provide, respondents believe that access to basics like food and clothing, affordable childcare and preschool, job training and after school programs are the most important services offered, though the order of what is most important varies by age, region, education and race. Respondents also believe that community centers have a great opportunity to generate support by educating individuals about the services they provide in their local neighborhoods.

*Economic Trends & the State of Georgia's Nonprofit Sector. Rep. Georgia Center for Nonprofits, June 2009. Web. 29 Sept. 2009. <www.gcn.org.

**The study was conducted for ARAMARK via telephone by International Communications Research, an independent research company. Interviews were conducted November 7-11, 2008 among a representative sample of 1017 adults aged 18 years or older. The margin of error is +/-3.07% at the 95% confidence level. More information about ICR can be obtained by visiting www.icrsurvey.com

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. Through ARAMARK Building Community, volunteers will use their expertise to help youth and adults develop critical, employable work skills and connect them to career opportunities; support families with nutrition and wellness education; provide basic needs such as food and clothing; and help identified partners run cleaner, safer and more efficient facilities to enhance and strengthen the Center's programs on an ongoing basis.

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. In FORTUNE magazine's 2009 list of "World's Most Admired Companies," ARAMARK was ranked number one in its industry, consistently ranking since 1998 as one of the top three most admired companies in its industry as evaluated by peers and analysts. 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 260,000 employees serving clients in 22 countries. Learn more at the company's Web site, www.aramark.com, or www.twitter.com/aramarknews.