The Sodexo Foundation Names Charmion Wood a Hero of Everyday Life for Her Commitment to Fight Hunger
Gaithersburg, Maryland resident and Landon School GM recognized for volunteer efforts to empower the area's hungry with cooking skills and practical information on health and nutrition
GAITHERSBURG, Md., June 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Charmion Wood has been an integral part of the Capital Area Food Bank's volunteer team, instructing courses – 288 hours in all – that bring cooking skills and nutrition information to low-income populations at risk of hunger. Charmion's commitment to helping those less fortunate earned her recognition by the Sodexo Foundation as a 2011 Hero of Everyday Life. Wood will be honored by the anti-hunger charitable arm of Sodexo, Inc., at the foundation's annual fundraising dinner on June 9 in Washington, D.C., where she will also receive a $5,000 grant for the hunger-related charity of her choice, the Capital Area Food Bank.
Wood serves as chef instructor for twelve Cooking Matters classes at the Capital Area Food Bank with the goal of improving residents' food choices, eating habits, cooking skills, food budgeting, and shopping practices. She also coordinates the distribution of leftover food from the Landon School that is picked up weekly by DC Central Kitchen. Since 1995, Wood has also spent two days each year volunteering at the Salt Lake City homeless shelter during its annual Christmas Holiday Radiothon.
"Charmion Wood is a great example for how each of us should take hunger personally, providing real solutions to people in the communities around us," said Robert A. Stern, president, the Sodexo Foundation. "It is especially important where childhood hunger is concerned given the life-long impact that a reliable source of food can make in a child's health and academic performance."
One in four people in a soup kitchen line is a child, and more than one in three households served by food pantries includes children. In 1999 the Sodexo Foundation was created to advance Sodexo's commitment to fight hunger. In January 2011 it announced a renewed commitment to ensure that every child in the United States, especially those most at-risk, grows up with dependable access to enough nutritious food to enable them to lead a healthy, productive life.
Wood is one of eight Heroes of Everyday Life recognized by the Sodexo Foundation. The other heroes include: Angel L. Gonzalez, Camden, N.J.; Frances M. Williams, Philadelphia, Pa.; Julia Pipkins, Carrollton, Texas; Kerwin M. Higashi, Redmond, Wash.; Lucas Minor, Bellingham, Wash.; Patty Johnson, Willowbrook, Ill.; Ryan Wilson, Allison Park, Pa.
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 $15 million in grants to fight hunger in America. Visit the corporate blog at www.sodexoUSA.com/blog.
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 acts as the strategic partner for companies and institutions that place a premium on performance and employee 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 array of On Site Service Solutions and Motivation Solutions. Sodexo has created a new form of service business that contributes to the fulfillment of its employees and the economic, social and environmental development of the communities, regions and countries in which it operates.
Key Figures (as of August 31, 2010) |
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Sodexo in the World |
Sodexo in North America |
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15.3 billion euro consolidated revenue 380,000 employees 34,000 sites 50 million consumers served daily 80 countries 21st largest employer worldwide |
8.0 billion dollars revenue 120,000 employees 10 million consumers served daily 6,000 clients 700 facilities management sites |
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SOURCE Sodexo Foundation
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