Pressley Ridge Launches Partnership With ARAMARK to Help Strengthen Educational Programs for Troubled Youth in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Pressley Ridge, which provides an array of services to troubled and developmentally challenged children, today announced it has launched a partnership with ARAMARK the global professional services company, to help strengthen their ability to provide innovative programs to children and families.

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To kick off the partnership, more than 100 ARAMARK employee volunteers will spend the day building an outdoor classroom on the grounds of Pressley Ridge, which will support out-of-school learning with an alternative education space that can be used to enhance the children's experiences. The partnership supports Pressley Ridge's mission to provide intensive educational support to children to help them cope with their environment, and ideally, return to a public school setting.

"This is an exciting and challenging time for servicing children and families in need," said Susanne Cole, President and CEO of Pressley Ridge. "We're dedicated to advancing Pressley Ridge's programs and services, and this new partnership with ARAMARK will enable us to do that. With ARAMARK's help, we can continue to expand our programs, and ultimately help more kids."

The new outdoor classroom will support ongoing initiatives in collaboration with ARAMARK. Children at Pressley Ridge will gain hands-on experience working and learning about an urban garden the ARAMARK volunteers are also creating. The team will also revitalize portions of the former church building that has been vacant since June, but will re-open for use.

Chris Hackem, President and Chief Operating Officer for ARAMARK Higher Education, K-12 Education and Correctional Services businesses, said the volunteer projects at Pressley Ridge mark the beginning of a partnership that will evolve and grow.

"We're inspired by the work that Pressley Ridge does to help children in Pittsburgh," Hackem said. "ARAMARK employees are committed to contributing their skills and expertise to impact this community in a powerful way for years to come."

Through ARAMARK Building Community, the company develops long-term partnerships with community centers to improve facilities, prepare youth and adults for careers and connect them to the workforce, and encourage healthy lifestyles through health and wellness education and awareness. By the end of 2011 ARAMARK Building Community will be in more than 50 cities impacting more than 2.5 million individuals and families in the US and abroad. For more information about the program, visit ARAMARK Building Community on Facebook.

About Pressley Ridge

Pressley Ridge was founded in 1832, and offers programs for troubled and developmentally challenged children in Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Internationally, the organization's programs serve children in Hungary and Portugal. More than 5,200 children and their family members are assisted each year. Pressley Ridge provides education programs that are interactive, individualized and holistic, encouraging students to celebrate their competence and become lifelong learners.

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. The company is recognized as the industry leader in FORTUNE magazine's "World's Most Admired Companies," and as one of America's Largest Private Companies by both FORTUNE and Forbes magazines. 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 255,000 employees serving clients in 22 countries. Learn more at the company's Web site, www.aramark.com, or www.twitter.com/aramarknews.

Contact:
Jim Schuyler, Pressley Ridge
412-872-9413
Mary Rucci, ARAMARK
215-238-7110

SOURCE ARAMARK