Nearly 70 firms and other legal organizations have signed up for this year's Legal Food Frenzy, the fundraising effort for food banks across Georgia.

The event starts April 22, but teams that sign up by April 1 earn bonus points in the competition, which recognizes winners in a host of categories.

Last year's overall winner, Joe Habachy P.C., raised $23,260—which Georgia food banks can stretch into about 93,000 meals. In total, 235 teams raised the equivalent of 1.6 million meals during last year's Frenzy.

“Although there are many valuable causes to participate in, I consider raising money for food that goes to children and families in need to be one of the most important,” Habachy said.

Asked for his key fundraising tactic, he said, “Frankly, for me, it is to simply pick up the phone and call friends and family members and even clients to ask them to participate.”

“In all honesty I'd love to raise $50,000, but, whatever the outcome, I am sincerely grateful to participate,” he said. “I genuinely hope other attorneys and firms have signed up or will sign up to rise to the occasion and put my numbers to shame.”

Nicki Vaughan, chief assistant public defender for the Northeastern Circuit, said her team challenges their courtroom opponents in the district attorney's office “to see who can raise the most money.”

Their goal this year? “As much as we can get,” she said.

Beyond Habachy, last year's winners included:

• Sole Proprietor (1-2 employees): Attorney Justin Oliverio LLC, Decatur;
• Small Firm (3-20 employees): Jenkins & Roberts, College Park;
• Medium Firm (21-100 employees): Whelchel, Dunlap, Jarrard & Walker, Gainesville;
• Large Firm (100+ employees): Moore Ingram Johnson & Steele, Marietta;
• Large Firm: King & Spalding, Atlanta;
• Corporate/In-House Counsel: Serta Simmons Bedding, Atlanta;
• Legal Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology Office of Legal Affairs, Atlanta;
• Judicial: Augusta judges; and
• Law school: Mercer University Law School, Macon.

The event is sponsored annually by Attorney General Chris Carr, the State Bar of Georgia Young Lawyers Division and the Georgia Food Bank Association.