The Los Angeles legal community raised more than $500,000 for the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank this year during the 10th Annual Food From The Bar Campaign. The Food Bank will use these funds to provide more than 2 million meals for children in Los Angeles County this summer. The campaign has raised more than $4 million since it began in Los Angeles in 2009. This year’s campaign ran from May 1 through June 2.
“We are extremely grateful all the firms and organizations that participated this year in the 10th annual Food From The Bar campaign,” said Michael Flood, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. “It is incredible how the Los Angeles’ legal community mobilizes each year to raise critical funds and provide volunteer support to the Food Bank.”
During the annual month-long Food From The Bar fundraising and volunteering effort, 80 legal organizations, including legal firms, law schools and legal services organizations, participated in a friendly competition to see who could raise the most funds, acquire the most food, and work the most volunteer hours for the Food Bank. In addition to funds raised, more than 7,718 pounds of food were collected and 823 volunteer shifts were completed in an effort to feed those in Los Angeles who are food insecure.
This year’s Overall Winner was Munger, Tolles & Olson, LLP, which was instrumental in bringing the Food From The Bar Campaign to Los Angeles and helping it grow over the last ten years. “Munger, Tolles & Olson is proud to be this year’s Overall Winner and a ten-year participant in the campaign. Our firm sees the tremendous need, especially that of children in the summer months,” said Kathleen M. McDowell, a partner at Munger Tolles and a champion of the Food From The Bar Campaign. “It is important for the firm and me personally to make a positive impact in our community. We get great satisfaction knowing that we are helping our neighbors who are struggling with hunger.”
“It is incredible to see how generous the legal community in Los Angeles is,” said Terri Oppelt, the Chairperson of this year’s Steering Committee. She spearheaded this year’s campaign that raised more than it has ever before. “The best part of the campaign is to see the tremendous impact in our community and to know that we helped the Food Bank provide millions of meals to our hungry neighbors.”
One in seven residents of Los Angeles County, 1.4 million people, live with food insecurity and have limited access to food, disrupted eating patterns, and reduced food intake. The Food Bank, through direct distribution and its agency partners, serves the largest county in terms of population in the country.
This year, 80 legal firms and organizations competed in various categories, with several being honored with awards from the Food Bank for their efforts.
- Overall Award: Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP
- Highest Per Capita Award : McKool Smith Hennigan, P.C.
- Best All Around Award (fewer than 100 employees): Perkins Coie, LLP
- Best All Around Award (more than 100 employees): Paul Hastings LLP
- Rookie of the Year: KLDiscovery
- Best Public Entity Award: California Court of Appeal, Second District
- Cornucopia Award (most food donated): Nelson Hardiman
- Volunteer of the Campaign Award: UCLA Law
- Kick-off Award: Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP
- Finish Line Award: Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP
- Munger Games Champion: McKool Smith Hennigan, P.C.
- Creativity Award: McGuireWoods LLP
- Partnership Award: First Legal Network
- Chairperson Award for Outstanding Individual Contribution: Lisa Clark, of Swiss Post Solutions.
- Best use of Social Media Award: Phil Lee