Sodexo Foundation Honored at 10th Anniversary Dinner for Philabundance Community Kitchen

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sodexo Foundation, an independent charitable arm of Sodexo, Inc. will be honored tonight at the Liberty View Ballroom in the Independence Visitors Center by Philabundance Community Kitchen (PCK), the region's largest hunger relief organization. Celebrating a milestone 10 years in its mission to promote the self-sufficiency of able-bodied, low-income adults, PCK is recognizing the Sodexo Foundation for its enduring support since the program's inception. Sodexo Chef, Robert Sulick is also being honored at the anniversary dinner for his longtime participation as a guest chef and instructor at the Culinary Arts Vocational Program run by Philabundance.

"We want to thank the Sodexo Foundation, and Chef Robert Sulick for their long-term commitment of time, talent and funds to support Philabundance Community Kitchen," said Bill Clark, President and Executive Director of Philabundance. "Their continued backing has allowed us to help individuals become self-sufficient and provide meals to those in need across our region for the last 10 years, and hopefully for many more years to come."

More than 200 guests are expected to attend the event, which features guest speaker Katie Cavuto, formerly of The Next Food Network Star.  In addition to honoring the Sodexo Foundation and Sodexo Chef Robert Sulick, PCK will also recognize outstanding alumni. In the 10 years of its existence, Philabundance Community Kitchen has turned out more than two million meals for people in need and graduated 400 individuals from its Culinary Arts Vocational Program.

The Sodexo Foundation contributes financial support and expertise to PCK that helps it provide nearly 500 hours of classroom and hands-on training for students of the culinary arts, covering everything from basic knife skills to food preparation and food safety. In addition, students have access to professional chef and guest chef workshops, catering opportunities, mock interviews, off-site internships and national Restaurant Association ServSafe Certification.

The Sodexo Foundation, the charitable arm of Sodexo, Inc., is committed to being a driving and creative force that contributes to a hunger-free nation. More than 49 million people in the United States are at risk of hunger, and to help them, we must fight hunger at its root causes. The Sodexo Foundation supports innovative programs to help children and families in the United States who are battling problems such as poverty, unemployment, lack of education, and food insecurity. From nutrition programs for children to job training for adults and affordable housing for families, the Foundation supports hunger-related initiatives on local, state, and national levels.

For more details, please visit www.helpstophunger.org.

About Philabundance

Philabundance is the region's largest hunger relief organization fighting hunger and malnutrition in the Delaware Valley. Philabundance provides a full plate of services to close to 500 member agencies in nine counties. Philabundance provides food to approximately 65,000 people per week, at an aggregate cost of less than 30 cents per meal. There are approximately 900,000 residents in our region at risk of hunger or malnutrition. In 2009, Philabundance, distributed 17 million pounds of food in the Delaware Valley. For more information about Philabundance, call 215-339-0900 or visit www.philabundance.org.

About Sodexo

Sodexo in North America

Sodexo, Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com), leading Quality of Daily Life Solutions company in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, delivers On Site Service Solutions in Corporate, Education, Health Care, Government, and Remote Site segments, as well as Motivation Solutions such as Esteem Pass. Sodexo, Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation (www.SodexoFoundation.org), an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $12 million in grants to fight hunger in America. Visit the corporate blog at blogs.sodexoUSA.com.

Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Daily Life Solutions

Quality of Life plays an important role in the progress of individuals and the performance of organizations.  Based on this conviction, Sodexo is the strategic partner for companies and institutions that place a premium on performance and well-being, as it has since Pierre Bellon founded the company in 1966. Sharing the same passion for service, Sodexo's 380,000 employees, in 80 countries design, manage and deliver an unrivaled range of On-site Service Solutions and Motivation Solutions. Sodexo has created a new form of service business that contributes to the economic, social and environmental development of the communities, regions and countries in which it operates and to the fulfillment of its employees.

Key Figures (as of August 31, 2009)

SOURCE Sodexo Foundation