The outbreak of the novel coronavirus has made the ninth annual Georgia Legal Food Frenzy, a two-week race by teams in the state's legal community to raise funds for local food banks, especially important.

"The timing of it could not be better," said Dana Craft, who heads the Georgia Food Bank Association.

The event, set for April 20 to May 1, typically helps food banks stock up for summer months, when children don't have access to free or reduced-cost meals they can get at school. But the need could be greater, much sooner, Craft said, as virus-slowing efforts could lead to extended school closures and general economic distress.

"A terrible scenario," she said, would be that parents have to stop working to stay home to take care of children whose schools have closed, for example, meaning families lose the meals from school and the income from jobs.

Craft said that food banks are dealing with other challenges from the medical crisis, such as fewer volunteers and new practices so customers at food banks receive drive-through service to reduce contact among people. The food banks are also working with banks in other states where people are quarantined, Craft added.

"Monetary donations will be critical," she said. Even the strong economy that existed before the virus spread, nearly 1 in 5 children in Georgia were at risk for hunger, and over 60% of Georgia's public school students were eligible for free or reduced-price meals each day, according to the food bank association.

Last year the Legal Food Frenzy raised a record $421,066 and 17,617 pounds of food, the equivalent of over 1.7 million meals for Georgia's food banks. The winner of the Attorney General's Cup was Joe S. Habachy, PC, Attorney at Law of Atlanta, with the most raised per employee. The Bar President's Award went to Coleman Talley LLP of Valdosta, which raised the most overall.

The competition is open to all lawyers in the state of Georgia with special awards categories for sole proprietors, small, medium and large firms as well as corporate/in-house counsel, judges and legal organizations. For the purpose of the competition, every $1 raised equals 4 points, and every 1 pound of food raised equals 1 point, with various bonus point opportunities. All of the food and funds collected are donated to the regional food bank that serves each competitor's respective community.

Teams can register and learn more at www.galegalfoodfrenzy.org.

The event is managed in partnership with the Office of the Attorney General, the State Bar of Georgia, the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Georgia and the Georgia Food Bank Association.

Attorney General Chris Carr noted that last year the Frenzy "instituted the Billable Hour Challenge, because we know time is a lawyer's most valuable asset. We figured what better way to dedicate our time than to fighting hunger and ensuring our kids don't have to wonder when their next meal will be. For this reason, I challenged each lawyer across the state to donate the equivalent of one billable hour during the competition, and we were blown away by those who stepped up to complete the challenge. We hope that this year will be another record-breaking year in support of Georgia families all across the state."

Craft noted, "In the last eight years of the Georgia Legal Food Frenzy, Georgia's legal community raised the equivalent of 9.6 million meals for the food bank network. This year we expect to surpass the 10 million meal milestone. We are incredibly grateful for our partners' continued passion to help end hunger in Georgia."

State Bar of Georgia President Darrell Sutton said, "I am grateful Attorney General Carr has once again provided Georgia's legal community the opportunity to ensure those who need food—a basic necessity—have access to it. YLD Legal Food Frenzy Co-chairs Morgan Lyndall and Veronica Rogusky have been working closely with the Attorney General's office and the Georgia Food Bank Association with a sharp focus on drumming up more statewide participation than ever before. Please join me in supporting this great cause."