Hull Barrett, PC, First Citizens Bank and Ivey Residential partner to fight childhood hunger in the CSRA.

After a successful partnership in 2014 for Legal Food Frenzy, Lindsey Swartzbaugh of Hull Barrett and Rebecca Plankey of First Citizens Bank brainstormed over lunch on how to make the 2015 campaign more successful with a larger community impact.  Adding Ivey Residential as a partner was a natural and easy decision.  Both companies have professional relationships with Ivey Residential, and Caroline Ashe Teague recently joined Ivey as the Marketing Director.  Caroline Ashe Teague is known in the community as being motivated and driven.  Together, these 3 companies endeavored to serve the CSRA by making the community less hungry.  

In 2014, Hull Barrett partnered with First Citizens Bank for Legal Food Frenzy, a 2 week food and fund drive for legal organizations as established by the Georgia Attorney General, the Georgia Bar and the Georgia Food Bank Association, and raised 31,246 pounds through its partnership, donor outreach, increased visibility and convenient food donation locations.  In creating a goal for 2015, Hull Barrett wanted to contribute even more to Golden Harvest, but more importantly, increase visibility to the statistics that plague the CSRA: 1 in 4 children are food insecure.  

Each organization set a goal, collectively, 45,000 pounds in 10 business days.  45,000 pounds was a risky objective because it is a 44% increase over the 2014 collection amount.  But the partnership was committed to make a difference, and a real difference comes from pushing the limit.  

All 3 organizations took a grassroots approach during the campaign and remained diligent throughout the 2 week effort. 

The grand total of collected food and funds equaled 54,837.5 pounds for the joint initiative, a 75% increase over 2014 and an amount that even surprised the partnership! 

The food and funds will remain local for the benefit of Golden Harvest Food Bank.  The donation provides a much needed supply of food to help the families of those kids during summer months when schools are closed.  Hull Barrett, First Citizens Bank and Ivey Residential are excited that the contribution will help increase the food stores in the distribution center.  Golden Harvest Food Bank set a regional goal of 160,000 pounds from all the legal organizations in the area; the partnership is glad to provide 1/3 of that goal.

Hull Barrett, First Citizens Bank and Ivey Residential kindly thank all of the donors that made this campaign a success.  The companies witnessed extreme generosity within the 2 week campaign.  In kind donations include Firehouse Subs for donating coupons to be used during First Citizens’ “Food Friday” event and Cabela’s for donating a gift card to be utilized as a prize for collections.