The gavel has dropped on another successful Georgia Legal Food Frenzy Competition and, locally, the Whelchel, Dunlap, Jarrard & Walker law firm, placed first overall and in funds collected.
This year, attorneys across the state raised the equivalent of 1.23 million pounds of food, pushing the five year total to more than five million pounds. In total, 289 lay firms and legal organizations representing more than 18,000 employees competed to see who could raise the most and win the coveted Attorney General’s Cup.
“For most of us just the word ‘summer’ conjures up pleasant memories. But for some families, it also brings a feeling of anxiousness,” explained Kay Blackstock, executive director at Gainesville-based Georgia Mountain Food Bank (GMFB). “The children are out of school and the household budget that was already stretched thin just can’t cover the additional expense of two extra meals each day. Without help, they will have to skip meals or eat foods lacking in nutritional value.”
Within GMFB’s five-county service area, 17 teams participated in the competition collecting 1,063.1 pounds of food and raising $14,756.96. These teams surpassed the 2016 goal and raised enough to provide more than 50,000 meals in the community. All the proceeds will remain within GMFB’s service area: Hall, Lumpkin, Forsyth, Union and Dawson counties.
First place overall, and funds collected, was Whelchel, Dunlap, Jarrard & Walker, LLP.
Recognition was also given to:
Second Place Funds Collected: Stewart, Melvin & Frost, Gainesville
First Place Food Collected: Hall County Juvenile Court, Gainesville
Second Place Food Collected: Van Sant Law, Cumming
The Top Sole Proprietor: George Brinson, P.C., Gainesville
“Year after year, our legal community continues to amaze me with their generosity and dedication to the food insecure in our area,” Blackstock added. “Recognizing these recipients’ hard work with a small token of our gratitude is the least we can do as we now enter the summer months with more capacity to serve the thousands of families in need.”
For more information about how you can become involved with GMFB or participate in Legal Food Frenzy, call 770-534-4111 or visit www.gamountainfoodbank.org.
