Ropes & Gray Battles Hunger in New York City with Trip to Food Bank Warehouse

In New York City, approximately 1.4 million people struggle to put food on the table, relying on soup kitchens and food pantries for their next meal. To help in the fight against hunger, Ropes & Gray's New York office has joined forces with Food Bank for New York City. The partnership falls under Food Bank’s Justice Served campaign, the organization’s platform for the legal community.

On Saturday, Nov. 4, 25 Ropes & Gray volunteers, along with some friends and family, visited Food Bank's 90,000-square-foot warehouse in the Bronx to support the organization's network of food pantries and soup kitchens. In one morning, the volunteers organized and packed almost 4,000 pounds of food, baby products, household items and other critical donations for families and individuals. This amounts to more than 3,200 meals served across New York City.

"Hunger is an issue faced by too many people in New York, but Food Bank effectively combats this problem while preserving the dignity of New Yorkers needing help," said real estate partner David Djaha, who leads the firm's activities for the organization. "The time, energy and resources we devote to Food Bank contribute to providing healthy meals around our city. We're proud to help."

The trip to the warehouse marks Ropes & Gray’s fifth office-wide effort on behalf of Food Bank. Over the past year, we have also assisted at Food Bank's Harlem food pantry, participated in fundraisers and canned food drives, and provided pro bono tax advice to those unable to afford accountants.

Food Bank serves upwards of 62 million free meals per year, advocates for essential government programs for the working poor and facilitates access to nutritional education and financial programs. Food Bank takes a strategic, multifaceted approach that provides meals and builds capacity in the neediest communities, while raising awareness and engagement among all New Yorkers. Working toward long-term solutions to food poverty, Food Bank develops policy and conducts research to inform community and government efforts.