Sodexho Marriott Services' Feeding our Future Program Provides Nearly 3,600 Free Lunches to Needy Fort Worth Children This Summer

Business Wire, June 27, 2000

Business Editors/Education Writers

FORT WORTH, Tx.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 27, 2000

This summer Sodexho Marriott Services, in partnership with the Texas Christian University and the Tarrant Area Food Bank, will provide nearly 3600 free lunches to needy Fort Worth children during its Feeding Our Future program. The program began on June 5th and runs through July 14th.

For some children the end of the school year can mean hunger and malnutrition. While some existing federal food programs do provide summer meals for hungry children, a large number may still go without. In Texas only 8% of children in the National School Lunch Program actually receive summer lunches.

"As the nation's largest food and facilities management services company and the leading provider of school dining services, Sodexho Marriott Services knows and sees first-hand how important it is for children to eat nutritious meals every day," said Michel Landel, president and CEO. "Undernutrition along with environmental factors associated with poverty can permanently retard physical growth, brain development, and cognitive functioning."

The Tarrant Area Food Bank has identified two community organizations to distribute the meals to children: Hope Farm and Butler Housing, YMCA/Amaka. Sodexho Marriott Services will donate the food and labor and its client, the Texas Christian University, will donate kitchen space and equipment for meal preparation. In addition to Fort Worth, Sodexho Marriott Services will provide meals for needy children in Boston, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Toronto, and Washington, DC.

Sodexho Marriott Services, Inc. (NYSE-SDH) is the largest provider of outsourced food and facilities management in North America, with $4.5 billion in annual sales. Sodexho Marriott Services offers a variety of innovative outsourcing solutions, including food services, housekeeping, grounds keeping, plant operations and maintenance, asset and materials management, and laundry to the corporate, government, health care, education and remote site markets. The Company is the 57th largest employer in North America with 103,000 employees and its headquarters is located at 9801 Washingtonian Boulevard, Gaithersburg, MD 20878.

Sodexho Marriott Services

Feeding Our Future

Fort Worth, TX--Summer 2000

Sodexho Marriott Services' Feeding Our Future program provides summer meals to children in Boston, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Worth, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Toronto, and Washington, DC who depend on free or reduced-price meals during the school year. This year in Fort Worth, Sodexho Marriott will donate the food and labor and its client, Texas Christian University, will donate kitchen space and equipment for meal preparation.

Host for Feeding Our Future:

Texas Christian University

Community Agency:

Tarrant Area Food Bank

Program Dates:

June 5 - July 14

Number of Meals:

3600

Organizations Served:

Hope Farm

Butler Housing, YMCA/Amaka

Sodexho Marriott Contacts:

Jeanette Jurkiewicz or Courtney Ross

Sodexho Marriott Services

301/987-4324 or 301/987-4413

Rick Flores

Texas Christian University

817/257-7283

Community Agent Contact:

Sonjia Dickerson

Tarrant Area Food Bank

817/332-9177