Approximately 700,000 people in the DC metropolitan area are at risk of hunger. In 2014, the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) distributed 45 million pounds of food —equivalent to 35 million meals — to 540,000 kids, seniors, veterans and working families. That’s 12 percent of the region’s population.
Lawyers are playing their part in this effort. Once again, the DC legal community will partner with the CAFB to tackle hunger and nutrition in the region through the Food from the Bar (FFTB) campaign, which runs from May 2 to June 3, 2016. In 2015, nearly 50 law firms, law schools and allied organizations participated in FFTB and raised $260,000 for the CAFB. This equates to more than 650,000 meals.
Teaming up with the nation’s largest legal community — 90,000 lawyers strong — the CAFB aims to improve the health and wellness of people in need, especially during the summer when children lose access to federally funded school lunch programs and turn to the food bank and its 444 community partners for support. Since 2008, the Washington legal community has supported two million meals.
“It’s important to note that this is not about law firms cutting a check for the food bank. It’s about rallying the individuals in your office for a critical common goal – to help our neighbors who are struggling with hunger – and having fun with it,” said Tim Sullivan, campaign co-chair and partner at Thompson Coburn LLP.
As we all know, lawyers (and, let’s face it, law firm staff) love to compete. The CAFB takes full advantage of this fact and gives points to each participating firm based on the funds, food and volunteer hours donated. In June, awards are distributed for most points overall, highest per capita, most creative and more. In past years, firms have found fun ways to raise money – and to win the coveted awards. Last year, Katten won the creativity award for its inaugural regatta on the Potomac River to support the effort, and Bracewell hosted its now-annual “Dare-e-oke,” where attorneys and staff paid to dare each other to sing karaoke.
“Once I learned about the prevalence of hunger in the DC region and what an impact our efforts had, I was in for the long haul. One hundred percent of the food and funds donated during this campaign goes toward the food bank’s hunger relief programs,” said Kelly Fisher, campaign co-chair and associate at Koonz, McKenney, Johnson, DePaolis & Lightfoot, L.L.P. “That’s just incredible.”
The Women’s Bar Association will host a kickoff at Pinstripes in Georgetown on May 5th. The CAFB will host five volunteer service days: May 2, 7, 11, 14 and 18.
To register your firm for the FFTB campaign, visit: https://www.capitalareafoodbank.org/food-from-the-bar/. For more information, please contact Ashley Hieb, Corporate Partnerships Coordinator, Capital Area Food Bank, at (202) 644- 9834 or ahieb@capitalareafoodbank.org.
The Capital Chapter is proud to be participating in the Capital Area Food Bank’s Food From The Bar program. We will be collecting non-perishable food items and donations at our events in May. Please consider bringing an item (or two). Monetary donations can be made directly on our fundraising page.
By Karen Kushner Creel, Marketing Manager, Thompson Coburn LLP for the January/February 2016 Capital Ideas Newsletter