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Link Between Hunger and Literacy the Focus of Corporate/Nonprofit Partnership GAITHERSBURG, Md., March 20 /PRNewswire/ -- For the 35 million hungry Americans, the effects of hunger are far more serious and long term than a rumbling stomach. Studies confirm that hungry children cannot learn, leaving them at-risk for limited professional and income-producing opportunities later in life. In the U.S. today, one in four people in a soup kitchen line is likely to be a child, and more than one in three households served by food pantries include children. The link between hunger and learning is why the Sodexho Foundation (a 501c3 based in Gaithersburg, Md.) has increased its commitment to Jumpstart with a $1,200,000 multi-year grant. "The cycle of hunger includes illiteracy, lack of learning ability and poverty," said Stephen J. Brady, president of the Sodexho Foundation. "Our mission is to create a hunger-free America. To accomplish that goal, we support organizations with effective programs designed to end the cycle of poverty. With this increased commitment, we look forward to supporting broad- scale programs that will help our nation's children, and ultimately strengthen the future of our country." Jumpstart's model pairs Jumpstart-trained college students (called Corps members) with at-risk preschool children in one-to-one partnerships that are uniquely designed to develop literacy, language, and social skills. The Sodexho Foundation has supported Jumpstart for more than five years. About the Sodexho Foundation The Sodexho Foundation (http://www.helpstophunger.org/) is an independent charitable organization that is leading the fight against hunger by supporting initiatives that focus on eliminating the root causes of hunger in the United States. Administrative costs are paid by Sodexho, Inc. to ensure that 100 percent of funds raised are directed to those in need. Established in 1999, the Sodexho Foundation has been a leading force in the pursuit of a hunger- free nation with its ongoing efforts to provide support to individuals and families facing poverty, unemployment, lack of education and food insecurity. Since its inception, the Foundation has raised and contributed more than $7.2 million to hunger relief and advocacy organizations nationwide. About Jumpstart Jumpstart is a national early education organization that works toward the day every child in America enters school prepared to succeed. Through extraordinary attention in yearlong one-to-one relationships, Jumpstart inspires children to learn, adults to teach, families to get involved, and communities to progress together. Headquartered in Boston, Jumpstart pairs 3,100 trained adults one-to-one with preschool children in need of assistance. During the 2006-2007 program year, Jumpstart is serving nearly 12,000 children in 64 communities across 19 states and the District of Columbia, in partnership with 225 Head Start and other early learning centers across the country. Jumpstart's national sponsors include American Eagle Outfitters, AmeriCorps, Pearson, Sodexho, and Starbucks. Jumpstart is the recipient of the Fast Company/Monitor Social Capitalist Award (2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007) and the Committee to Encourage Corporate Philanthropy's Directors Award. For more information, visit the Jumpstart website at http://www.jstart.org/. About Sodexho, Inc. Sodexho, Inc. (http://www.sodexhousa.com/), a subsidiary of Sodexho (NYSE:SDX), is the leading provider of food and facilities management in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, with $6.7 billion in annual revenue and 125,000 employees. Sodexho offers innovative outsourcing solutions in food service, housekeeping, grounds keeping, plant operations and maintenance, asset management, and laundry services to more than 6,000 corporations, health care, long term care and retirement centers, schools, college campuses, government and remote sites throughout North America. Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., Sodexho proudly serves as the official food service provider for the U.S. Marine Corps. DATASOURCE: Sodexho Foundation CONTACT: Jaya K. Bohlmann of Sodexho Foundation, +1-301-987-4415, Web site: http://www.helpstophunger.org/ http://www.jstart.org/ http://www.sodexhousa.com/

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