
Dole Renews Goals For Its Health & Education Programs In Costa Rica
SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica - June 28, 2007
Standard Fruit Company of Costa Rica, a division of Dole Food Company, Inc. announced today that it will renew its support for its widely successful Social Development Program in Costa Rica. In view of its very encouraging results since its inception, Dole seeks to increase the number of people benefiting from its community outreach programs during 2007. The Program's main role is to provide health, education and well-being programs to the company's workers and their families.
As an integral part of the Human Resources Department, Dole's Social Development Program has given support to employees and their families, and helped to strengthen local communities through health and education programs.
"We are pleased about the level of involvement and success the Social Development Program has achieved since its implementation. The Program has served as a gathering place for important awareness on health and for education programs," said Danilo Roman, General Manger, Standard Fruit Company of Costa Rica. "Dole will continue enlarging this program which has fostered good will in the community and among the people of Costa Rica."
The Center's activities include:
The "La Mano" Program conducts workshops in small groups to help parents establish constructive learning methods for their children; over 259 parents have participated.
Prevention of Sexual Abuse and Family Violence Program provides education to the community about domestic and sexual abuse, in addition to identifying existing cases in order to help victims and provide necessary treatment. In one year, 43 seminars have served over 5,000 participants. This program is jointly coordinated between Dole and Costa Rica's Ministry of Security.
The Drug Abuse Prevention Program has reached out to 231 children in the community to stress the dangers and consequences of drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco or experimenting with other drugs. This preventative program is also jointly implemented with the involvement of Costa Rica's Ministry of Security.
The General Ophthalmology Check-up Program brings eye care services directly to the employees working at packing plants by offering preventative eye exams with the help of a mobile ocular unit. It is expected for over 1,000 employees to benefit from this program throughout 2007.
Dole Food Company, Inc., with 2006 revenues of $6.2 billion, is the world's largest producer and marketer of high-quality fresh fruit, fresh vegetables and fresh-cut flowers. Dole markets a growing line of packaged foods and frozen fruit and is a produce industry leader in nutrition education and research.
This release contains "forward-looking statements," within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Forward looking statements, which are based on management's current expectations, are generally identifiable by the use of terms such as "may," "will," "expects," "believes," "intends" and similar expressions. The potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied herein include weather-related phenomena; market responses to industry volume pressures; product and raw materials supplies and pricing; changes in interest and currency exchange rates; economic crises and security risks in developing countries; international conflict; and quotas, tariffs and other governmental actions. Further information on the factors that could affect Dole's financial results is included in its SEC filings, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K.