BCLP in St. Louis Raises $50,000 for Operation Food Search

Employees of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner’s (BCLP) St. Louis office raised $50,000 in April for Operation Food Search (OFS), an independent hunger-relief organization that serves the bi-state region.

The donation provided thousands of meals to local students who are out of school due to the COVID-19 pandemic. BCLP staff is also preparing and delivering thousands of grab-and-go meals to community sites to be shared with families in need through the end of the scheduled school year.

“This investment in our work is really an investment in the lives of vulnerable kids and families across our region during this time of distress and anxiety,” said OFS Director of Community Relations Judy Coyman. “With this donation, BCLP is enabling us to continue supplying nutritious meals to tens of thousands of children and families each week during the current crisis.”

BCLP’s St. Louis Charitable Response Committee quickly recognized the need, launching an internal website and hosting an officewide “virtual kick-off” April 6 where Coyman shared information about the mission of OFS and the work underway to address the community’s food insecurity and escalating demand.

BCLP has a long tradition of supporting causes about which attorneys, employees and clients are passionate. Personnel serve on numerous civic and charitable boards, the firm regularly undertakes pro bono work for the benefit of the underserved, and individually and collectively many of BCLP’s more than 500 St. Louis area employees donate to charitable organizations.

“We have long supported Operation Food Search as well as dozens of local nonprofit organizations that directly support our neighbors,” said BCLP Partner Erin Brooks, who also serves as co-chair of the firm’s St. Louis Charitable Response Committee. “One of our firm’s driving core values is to make a positive difference in our community and society. We believe these philanthropic efforts go a long way toward committing Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner as an integral part of the St. Louis community and making St. Louis a great place to live and to work.”

Founded in 1981, Operation Food Search (OFS) provides free food, nutrition education and innovative programs proven to reduce food insecurity. With a strategic focus aimed at ending childhood hunger, OFS empowers families and increases access to healthy and affordable food. The agency provides food and services to nearly 200,000 individuals on a monthly basis – one-third of whom are children – through a network of 330 community partners in 30 Missouri and Illinois counties. More than 200,000 St. Louis-area families were served in April by OFS.