Office of the Attorney General
Kentucky and Indiana Attorneys General Challenge Local Law Firms to Participate in Annual March Against Hunger Food Drive

Attorney General Jack Conway teamed up with Indiana Attorney General and the Dare to Care Food Bank to support the fourth annual March Against Hunger food drive competition.

Dare to Care is one of 11 regional food banks that partner with Feeding Indiana's Hungry or FIsH – an organization which helps link Indiana's resources to feed those in need. For the fourth consecutive year, the Indiana Attorney General's Office has joined FIsH and the Indiana State Bar Association to help challenge law firms to donate goods and raise money for these banks.

"Food banks have been struggling to keep up with the needs of the hungry that have increased due to the long recession," Zoeller said. "For the fourth year, I am calling upon the members of my profession to step up and do what attorneys do best – serve the interests of others. This is no time to get weary and let up so I'm doubling our efforts to include a four week push for donations instead of two, as in years past. I hope Kentucky's attorneys can help us obtain even more contributions this year to meet the greater need."

"It is an honor to again join Attorney General Zoeller for the launch of the annual March Against Hunger food drive," Conway said. "During these difficult times, it is vital that we do all that we can to help re-stock the shelves of regional food banks that are lifelines for Kentuckiana families in need. I am confident the Louisville legal community will embrace this challenge."

Dare to Care Executive Director Brian Riendeau said the organization partners with more than 300 local, social service agencies to distribute food. The bank serves five Indiana counties and eight Kentucky counties. In the past year, Dare to Care and its partners provided over 12 million meals to more than 192,000 people.

"At this time of unprecedented need for food assistance in our community, the efforts of Attorneys General Jack Conway and Greg Zoeller could not be timelier," Riendeau said. "We deeply appreciate the Attorney Generals' leadership to raise awareness and support for struggling families. March Against Hunger will help Dare to Care meet its commitment that no family in southern Indiana and greater Louisville will be without the food they need to live a healthy life."

In 2011, 50 law firms in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio participated in the March Against Hunger and donated more than 6,000 pounds of food and raised $27,574 - which combined is the equivalent of 143,986 pounds or 72 tons of assistance.

"The food provided through drives like March Against Hunger and other sources help our food banks serve Hoosier families, many of whom are visiting pantries more and more as a supplemental source for monthly food shortfalls," said Emily Weikert Bryant, executive director of FIsH. "We are grateful for the ongoing support and dedication of Attorney General Zoeller and attorneys across the state."