Exactly one month from today, the inaugural Georgia Legal Food Frenzy competition will officially begin. Attorney General Sam Olens has joined forces with the State Bar of Georgia and the Georgia Food Bank Association to launch the statewide food drive competition among Georgia lawyers which will take place April 23, 2012 – May 4, 2012.

The goal of the Georgia Legal Food Frenzy is to raise food and funds for Georgia’s seven regional food banks, which work with more than 2,500 partner agencies and pantries to distribute more than 90 million pounds of food annually to all 159 counties in Georgia. The competition will occur as food banks are preparing for the critical summer months when they see a spike in demand. Nearly 60% of Georgia’s public school students are eligible for either a free or reduced lunch each day, and families of many of these children rely on food banks to provide a complete, balanced meal when their children are not in school. All of the food collected will be donated directly to the regional food bank that serves each competitor’s community.

Over 150 law firms and legal organizations, representing 10,833 employees, across Georgia have already registered for the competition, and there is still plenty of time to register. Registration will be open for all Georgia attorneys up until the first day of competition, April 23. The office which raises the most food and funds statewide, on a per person basis, will be awarded the Attorney General’s Cup. Awards will also be given to the winners of several different categories.

“I am thrilled with the tremendous response and enthusiasm the Legal Food Frenzy has generated in the legal community thus far,” said Attorney General Olens. “However, with only one month remaining until the competition begins, there are still many Georgia lawyers who have not signed up to participate. I encourage each and every lawyer in the state who has not yet registered to join us in this important campaign to reduce hunger in Georgia. There is not a zip code in Georgia which is not affected by hunger, and with your support we can make a difference.”

In recent weeks, Attorney General Olens and State Bar President Ken Shigley have promoted the Legal Food Frenzy with visits to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia in Athens, America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia in Savannah and Second Harvest of South Georgia Food Bank in Thomasville. Over the next month, they will host press events at the following regional food banks:

Atlanta Community Food Bank
April 4, 10:00 am
732 Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard, NW
Atlanta, GA 30318

Feeding the Valley
April 5, 3:30 pm
928 Coca Cola Boulevard
Columbus, GA 31909

Golden Harvest Food Bank
April 9, 2:00 pm
3310 Commerce Drive
Augusta, GA 30909

Middle Georgia Community Food Bank
April 16, 3:00 pm
4490 Ocmulgee East Boulevard
Macon, GA 31217

Additional details and registration instructions can be found at the www.galegalfoodfrenzy.org.