Food From the Bar campaign gives DC's legal community a chance to compete to take on hunger

Business Journals

3 days ago

Lawyers across the District spent the month of May competing against each other to see who could make the biggest impact on hunger.
During the annual Food From the Bar campaign, now in its 17th year, DC law firms, law schools, law societies, and legal professionals went toe to toe, working to outdo each other in raising funds that will help families, children, and individuals in need. All told, the remarkable efforts of the 40 participating law firms and legal associations generated over $500,000 to support the Capital Area Food Bank's mission.
These funds come at a critical time. Over the summer, children who rely on school meals for much of their nourishment no longer have access to them. And many parents have difficulty covering the increased grocery costs that result from having children home all day. The Capital Area Food Bank is there to help fill the nutritional gap that kids and families face during the summer months, and the DC legal community's support plays an essential role in making that possible.
While the Food From the Bar campaign exists to address a serious issue, the lawyers who join in make it a point to have a lot of fun while they're working to achieve their fundraising goals. Participants have come together to raise money via everything from happy hours to trivia events to a pickleball tournament at Congressional Country Club.
This enthusiasm and creativity from everyone involved is a significant reason for the campaign's ongoing success, and among the primary factors that have allowed it to generate the funds for nearly 10 million meals since it began.
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Players at a pickleball tournament organized through Food From the Bar, the DC legal community's campaign to raise funds that support neighbors facing food insecurity.
Courtesy photo
Food From the Bar's history of strong leadership is also a major contributor to its enduring impact. This year was no different, with Andrew Cook of K&L Gates and Kelly Fisher of DC Water and Sewer Authority co-chairing the committee of lawyers and other professionals that partner with the Capital Area Food Bank to organize and execute the campaign.
Thanks to these individuals, along with the collective support of long-time partners DLA Piper, K&L Gates, Crowell & Moring, Thompson Coburn, Arnold & Porter, Akin — and many others — DC's legal community is continuing to help our neighbors get the good food they need to thrive — today and well into the future.
To learn more about how the Food from the Bar campaign supports the Capital Area Food Bank's mission, and to get involved, please contact Megan Curran at [e-mail].
The Capital Area Food Bank annually provides more than 60 million meals-worth of food to people in need by supplying food to hundreds of regional nonprofits. It also partners with area organizations to address hunger's root causes by pairing food with critical services such as education and health care.