Up to five $5,000 winners to be named; Application period runs January 1 – February 26, 2010
GAITHERSBURG, Md., January 5, 2009 – The Sodexo Foundation is accepting applications for its national STOP Hunger Scholarship program on January 1, 2010. The scholarships were first introduced in 2007 in order to support the education of young people who are working to end hunger in communities across the country – and to draw attention to the innovative and effective solutions that they are implementing toward ending hunger in their lifetime.
“The problem of hunger in America is getting worse as the recession and high unemployment continue,” said Stephen J. Brady, president of the Sodexo Foundation. “The STOP Hunger Scholarship program recognizes the efforts of young people who – despite their young ages – recognize the injustice of this national tragedy and are making a real difference in the fight against hunger.”
In November, a United States Department of Agriculture survey documented that 17 million American households (nearly 15 percent) were “food insecure” in 2008, compared with 13 million in 2007.
Up to five students selected as national winners will each receive a $5,000 scholarship award and a matching $5,000 grant in their name, for the hunger-related charity of their choice. The scholarships will be presented on June 10, 2010 at the Sodexo Foundation Dinner in Washington, D.C. In addition, up to 20 regional winners will receive a $1,000 grant in their name, for the hunger-related charity of their choice. To be eligible, students must be enrolled in an accredited education institution (kindergarten through graduate school) in the United States and be able to demonstrate an on going commitment to hunger-relief activities in their community.
The deadline for applications is February 26, 2010. For a complete description of the program or an online application visit www.SodexoFoundation.org.
Sodexo, Inc.
Sodexo, Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com), a member of Sodexo Group, is a leading provider of Comprehensive Service Solutions serving more than ten million customers daily in corporations, health care, long term care, retirement, schools, higher education, government and remote sites. Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., Sodexo, Inc. operates in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, with $7.7 billion (USD) in annual revenue and 120,000 employees. The Sodexo Foundation (www.SodexoFoundation.org) is an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $12.7 million in grants to fight hunger in America. Visit the corporate blog at www.sodexoUSA.com/blog.
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