Attorneys across Georgia squared off against each other for two weeks, but this time they were not in courtrooms.
The 11th annual Legal Food Frenzy brought together 189 law firms and legal organizations, more than 19,000 members of Georgia’s legal community, to collect funds for regional food banks, including the Golden Harvest Food Bank.
Attorney General Chris Carr said the event raised more than $880,000, which translates to more than 3.5 million meals for families in need, children and senior citizens.
“I am incredibly proud to see that the generosity of Georgia’s legal community has not waned despite the overwhelming challenges we have all faced over the past two years,” said Carr. “While the 11th Annual Legal Food Frenzy has come to an end, it is important to remember that the need continues and that our regional food banks are accepting donations year-round.”
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Melissa Brown, major gift officer at Golden Harvest, said her organization can triple the buying power of every dollar raised.
“For every dollar, we can provide a little over three meals to the hungry. So, our buying power is really great, and it helps us get more food out in our community,” she said.
Executive Director of Feeding Georgia Danah Craft said Georgia food banks are deeply grateful for this more than decade long partnership with the state’s legal community.
“Their continued support fuels regional efforts to fight hunger, and their generosity affects countless members of their community every day. With inflation increasing and pandemic assistance programs coming to an end, our network of food banks are working hard to ensure that our neighbors have what they need going into the summer months,” she said.
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While raising money for the regional food banks, the participants also competed for bragging rights as the most successful team in its individual category, including solo practitioners, small, medium and large law offices and judicial teams.
They were competing for an assortment of honors, the top prize being the Attorney General’s Cup and the Bar President’s Award. The competition had a points system. For every $1 raised, the competitor was awarded four points.
Habachy Law of Atlanta won the Attorney General’s Cup for the eighth consecutive year and Greenberg Traurig of Atlanta won the Bar President’s Award for the third year in a row.
There were also winners in seven additional categories, based on an organization’s type and size. Two of those winners are from metro Augusta.
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The Small Firm winner was the Durham Bray Law Firm. Sole Proprietor honors went to the Law Offices of Nathan Jolles.
“It’s wonderful that we can help that many people that we can, you know, raise them. We raised enough money to feed I guess hundreds of people so it’s great,” said Jolles’ executive assistant Sandra Smith.
The Jolles office has participated in the food frenzy for many years and has won the sole proprietor award in the past.
Still, Smith said, she enjoyed winning again and urged other small firms to participate in the future.
“It’s a wonderful thing,” she said. “You’re helping out the local community. And it’s a wonderful thing to help people, especially local people that need food. It’s such a simple thing that we take for granted.”
The Georgia Legal Food Frenzy has provided the equivalent of more than 20 million meals for food banks since the fundraiser began in 2012.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a general assignment reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com
