Office of the Attorney General: McDonnell Announces Second Annual Statewide “Legal Food Frenzy” Raises Over 1.3 Million Pounds of Food
- Goal was 1 Million Pounds; Doubles Total from Last Year
- Donations Enough to Provide 1,067,501 Meals -Winner of “Attorney General’s Cup”: Schettine & Nguyen PLC of Richmond-

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

May 01, 2008

Contact: J. Tucker Martin or David Clementson
Website: www.vaag.com                                                    
Phone: 804-786-2071
Email: Tucker.Martin@oag.state.va.us or dclementson@oag.state.va.us


Richmond- Attorney General Bob McDonnell announced today the results of the Second Annual Statewide “Legal Food Frenzy.” The philanthropic competition among Virginia’s legal community raised 1,366,401 pounds of food for Food Banks in the Commonwealth, enough food for 1,067,501 meals. This doubles last year’s total of almost 679,000 pounds raised. The goal for this year’s event was 1 million pounds.  

The “Legal Food Frenzy” is a statewide food drive competition for the Commonwealth’s legal community, and ran from March 31-April 11. 181 law firms statewide participated in this year’s event.  

Winning the “Attorney General’s Cup” for the law firm that raised the most food per capita was Schettine & Nguyen, PLC in Richmond. The firm has 3 lawyers, and 7 staff members. Attorney General McDonnell relayed the news in a 2PM phone call with Angela Schettine, Jim Schettine, and Nhon Nguyen of the firm. The firm raised 4,187.75 pounds of food per capita.

  Speaking about the results of this year’s event, Attorney General McDonnell noted, “I can’t say enough about the way the Virginia legal community has embraced the “Legal Food Frenzy.” To raise over 1.3 million pounds of food, in only the second year of this event, is incredible. Thousands of Virginians will receive the nutritional meals they desperately need because of the generosity of Virginia’s legal professionals. It is an honor to be a part of this event, and I hope it will continue for decades to come. This event demonstrates all that is good about our Commonwealth and our citizens.”

  Leslie Van Horn, Executive Director, Federation of Virginia Food Banks, added, “At a time when we are seeing a surge of individuals and families looking for assistance from their local food bank, the incredible generosity of the legal community will be felt throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.  We are in awe of this year’s Legal Food Frenzy results!”

  The Virginia Bar Association partnered with Federation of Virginia Food Banks and Attorney General Bob McDonnell for the Second Annual Statewide “Legal Food Frenzy.” The Attorney General specifically wishes to thank Katja Hill, Co-Chair of the Legal Food Frenzy Project of The Virginia Bar Association and a lawyer at LeClair Ryan in Richmond, and Chris Gill, Co-Chair of the Legal Food Frenzy Project of The Virginia Bar Association and a lawyer at Christian & Barton in Richmond for their leadership in this effort. He also thanks Derek Swanson, a lawyer at McGuireWoods LLC in Richmond, and Cherie Givens from Hirschler Fleischer in Richmond, who both served on the planning committee for this year’s event. Finally, the Attorney General thanks the Norfolk-Portsmouth Bar Association for their leadership and vision in initiating the Hampton Roads “Legal Food Frenzy” in 1990, and for their continued guidance in the orchestration of the statewide version of the event.

  The winners of the Second Annual Statewide “Legal Food Frenzy” are:

  Attorney General’s Cup Winner: Per Capita:

      Schettine & Nguyen, PLC (Richmond)

      4187.75 pounds per person

     

Small (1-20) Law Firm: Total Pounds: “The Brunswick Stew Award”      Schettine & Nguyen, PLC (Richmond)

     33,502 pounds

Small (1-20) Law Firm: Per Capita: “The Shenandoah Apple Award”       Schettine & Nguyen, PLC (Richmond)

      4,187.75 pounds per person

Medium (21-100) Law Firm Total Pounds: “The James River Shad Award” Christian and Barton, LLP (Richmond)

64,716.32 pounds

Medium (21-100) Law Firm Per Capita: “The Hanover Tomato Award” McKenry, Dancigers, Dawson & Lake (Virginia Beach)

967.42 pounds per person

Large (101 and up) Law Firm Total Pounds: “The Smithfield Ham Award” McGuireWoods LLP

225,778.40 pounds



Large (101 and up) Law Firm Per Capita: “The Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Award” Vandeventer Black LLP

615.40 pounds per person

Sole Proprietor (1-2) Law Firm Total Pounds: “The Virginia Peanut Award” Thomas A. Louthan (Winchester) 400 pounds

Lumsden & Overstreet (Roanoke) 400 pounds

Law School Winner of Attorney General’s Cup Total Pounds and Per Capita: Regent University Law School (Virginia Beach) 12, 946.16 pounds, 36.37 pounds per person  



Every regional Food Bank in Virginia benefited from this competition. Totals for each region are as follows:

  Food Bank                                                                  Total Pounds      % Increase from 2007

Blue Ridge Area Food Bank                                           65,393.60                 102.6%              

Capital Area Food Bank (Northern VA)                        187,118.12                399.9%                             

Central Virginia Food Bank                                           650,571.24                117.4%                                           

  Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia                                371,111.10                 42 %                           

Foodbank of the Virginia Peninsula                                10,645.60                   98.5%               

Fredericksburg Area Food Bank                                      21,089                     74.4%                       

Southwestern Virginia Second Harvest Food Bank           60,472                     95.7%       



The Federation of Virginia Food Banks is a Commonwealth association of food banks affiliated with America's Second Harvest—The Nation’s Food Bank Network and is the largest hunger relief networks in the Commonwealth.  The Federation is composed of the 7 regional Virginia and Washington DC food banks, consisting of facilities in 14 strategic locations.  The Federation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation created to support the food banks in providing food, funding, education, advocacy, and awareness services and programs throughout the Commonwealth.