On May 2, Aramark hosted their annual global day of service, Aramark Building Community Day (ABC Day) at both the Buckner Center for Humanitarian Aid and the Buckner Children and Family Services campus in Dallas.

ABC Day is an opportunity for more than 4,000 volunteers to serve over 100 local communities across the U.S. and 12 other countries. Aramark is a prominent global provider of food and facilities services.

Each year, Buckner looks forward to the collaborative event with Aramark. The 60 Aramark volunteers banded together to assemble more than 300 meal kits for foster families, sorted and processed shoes for distribution through Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls® and enhanced recreational facilities on campus with cleaning, light landscaping and maintenance.

The shoes Aramark unloaded and sorted were from the Missouri Rotary Club's statewide Buckner Shoes shoe drive. More than 43,000 pairs of new shoes, over 14,000 pairs of socks and over 29,000 shoelaces arrived at the Buckner Center for Humanitarian Aid earlier that day from Missouri. Volunteers sorted the items by size for later distribution to children in the U.S. as well as countries like Guatemala and the Dominican Republic.

The Aramark volunteers' acts of service impact children and families across a myriad of programs in Dallas. From single-parent families living on campus as part of the Buckner Family Pathways® program to foster families having access to easy nutritious meals, ABC Day served many through their volunteerism.

“In an extension of our year-round efforts to strengthen local communities, we unite our employees around the world on one day, and encourage them dedicate their time, energy and expertise to service projects in their local neighborhoods,” said Jami Leveen, vice president of community partnerships at Aramark.

“In the first 10 years, nearly 55,000 employees have volunteered on ABC Day, and we are overwhelmed and humbled by the thousands of employees who have stepped up to volunteer this year.”

Aramark's collaboration with Buckner extends beyond ABC Day, with ongoing initiatives reflecting the company's commitment to community health. Monthly health and wellness classes are provided to families at the Buckner Family Hope Center® locations at Wynnewood and Bachman Lake in Dallas.

Buckner has also been a recipient of Aramark's ongoing grant, Feed Your Potential, since 2017, facilitating the provision of chefs and dietitians to educate families on healthier lifestyles. Partnering with the American Heart Association, Aramark aims to empower communities to prioritize health and wellness, aligning with Buckner's mission to serve vulnerable children, families and seniors.

“Aramark has an attitude for service and is about building healthier communities,” shared Lindsay Miller, executive director for Buckner Dallas programs. “Throughout the year, Aramark is bringing chefs and dietitians our way, and they’re bringing education to our families, while we’re providing holistic support to help that family reach their goals.”

Collaborative efforts with organizations like Aramark and the Rotary International shines hope into vulnerable lives.

See how you can shine hope in Dallas/Fort Worth today.