Aramark and the Alliance for Children and Families Launch Aramark Building Community Academy

Milwaukee, WI, Sept. 3, 2014 /3BL Media/ – The Alliance For Children and Families (Alliance), the nation’s largest network of private community centers, and Aramark, a global provider of award-winning services in food, facilities management, and uniforms, have announced the Aramark Building Community (ABC) Academy. The Academy is designed to help community centers build capacity and expand programs, with an initial focus on improving the health and wellness of vulnerable families in underserved communities.

The ABC Academy provides targeted training, best practices, professional expertise, and thought leadership, as well as funding and tools to help efficiently and effectively create and implement programs that work. The Academy is anchored by an interactive educational website, abc.alliance1.org, which allows community center professionals to access information and resources while exchanging ideas. 

“The purposeful partnership between Aramark and the Alliance elevates the place and presence of community centers in neighborhoods around the country,” said Susan Dreyfus, President and CEO of the Alliance. “ABC Academy is an exceptional component of that partnership, one that furthers the authentic engagement taking place each day between community centers and the people they serve, strategically strengthening communities.”

The Academy is part of Aramark Building Community, the company’s philanthropic and volunteer program. Through ABC, Aramark partners with local community centers, providing funding, in-kind resources and the skills of its volunteers to create opportunities for people to improve their health and succeed in the workplace. Aramark provided financial support, expertise and leadership to drive the development and sustainability of the Academy.  

“Over the course of our work with community centers, we have uncovered excellence, innovation and solutions that enrich and nourish lives and are changing communities,” said Bev Dribin, Aramark Vice President, Community Relations. “Through the ABC Academy, we are helping community centers to replicate these successful solutions.”

Phase two in the Aramark Building Community Academy is underway to bring together workforce and employment initiatives that help youth and adults have the skills, training and connections to find meaningful work.

The ABC Academy consists of:

•  Education and best practice sharing, anchored by the website. This online hub houses educational materials, information about in-person and web-based trainings, toolkits, a clearinghouse for research, and highlights on organizations doing exceptional work. Information about how to apply for ABC Academy grants is also available.  It also includes the Aramark Healthy for Life™ education and awareness platform, developed by the company’s nutrition and culinary experts. 
   
• Aramark Building Community Academy grants that support effective programs and solutions. Earlier this year five community centers received a total of $75,000 in grants for their innovative and successful health and wellness programs designed to help families obtain the tools they need to live healthy lives. The recipients and their programs were:

o   Pillsbury United Communities, Minneapolis - Phillips Community Healthy Living Initiative

o   Golden Gate Community Center, Phoenix - Health and Fitness Across the Ages

o   Turning Points for Children, Philadelphia – Food and Wellness Network

o   ChildServ, Chicago - HealthyFit 

o   Congreso de Latinos Unidos, Philadelphia – Healthy Movimiento
 

• Research and thought leadership to advance solutions that address health and wellness issues many communities and families face.  An advisory committee provides guidance on relevant issues and topics for the Academy’s research programs. In 2014, the Academy will publish a white paper, Using Authentic Engagement to Improve Health Outcomes, which discusses the critical role that community centers play in the health of families and communities.
   
• The Peter B. Goldberg ABC Executive Leadership Award, now in its fourth year. The award recognizes exceptional community center leadership. Community center executives honored with the award each received a $40,000 grant for their organization.
   

Aramark has been working with the Alliance seven years and has invested over $3.5 million in national advocacy and the funding of local community-based programs. The ABC Academy is a component of the Center for Engagement and Neighborhood Building at the Alliance.

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About the Alliance for Children and Families
The Alliance for Children and Families is a national organization dedicated to achieving a vision of a healthy society and strong communities for all children, adults, and families. The Alliance works for transformational change by representing and supporting its network of hundreds of nonprofit human serving organizations across North America as they translate knowledge into best practices that improve their communities. The Center for Engagement and Neighborhood Building is a unit of the Alliance for Children and Families. This national platform for community-led change puts neighbors first, and unites all community-based organizations and systems dedicated to walking alongside children, families, and adults in impacting the toughest issues facing our communities. Go to alliance1.org and alliance1.org/ce/about for more information.

About Aramark
Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) is in the customer service business across food, facilities and uniforms, wherever people work, learn, recover, and play.  United by a passion to serve, our more than 270,000 employees deliver experiences that enrich and nourish the lives of millions of people in 22 countries around the world every day.  Aramark is recognized among the Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE and the World’s Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute. Learn more at www.aramark.com or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.