KATIE KING | January 22, 2018
Thanks to Hunton & Williams, the Georgia Association of Paralegals, and AVLF’s Junior Board of Directors, four families — including ten children — were given stress-free holidays.
For families across the United States, financial hardship can make the holidays a time of stress and anxiety rather than a time of joy. Understanding the burden the holiday season can create, Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation picked four families who would not be able to afford to give their children gifts.
In 2017, thanks to generous friends of the Foundation, four mothers — and ten children — had all of their holiday celebrations taken care of, including presents, food, and any other worries the families may have had.
AVLF’s Junior Board and the Georgia Association of Paralegals (GAP) both sponsored a family this year, while Hunton & Williams sponsored two. Gifts were bought based on gift lists that the families provided. They included matching pajamas, an Elsa costume, and a tea set, as well as gift cards to Target, Kroger, and MARTA. Donations from Hunton & Williams and AVLF’s Junior Board totaled over $2,000.
The families in need were those AVLF has worked extensively with, including three individuals from Safe and Stable Families and one Safe and Stable Homes client who lost her spouse in a fire.
Rie Steinbrenner at Hunton & Williams said, “It makes my heart swell when we can help those less fortunate than ourselves.”
Delta attorney Rachel Weitz said, “When we brought the gifts, Mom had the kids hide so she could later say Santa brought all the presents. She was overwhelmed by all of the gifts.”
This is the fourth year the Atlanta legal community provided AVLF clients with holidays gifts and cheer. We are so grateful to everyone who participated in this year’s holiday work, and we know our clients are, too. We can’t wait to see what gifts and joy 2018 brings.
Want to be a part of the incredible work AVLF is achieving? Consider a contribution of any size today.
Katie King
Digital Communications Manager
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Katie handles all of the online communications for AVLF, overseeing the organization’s social media campaigns, newsletters, and website. She understands how to best adapt program narratives for storytelling, as she began working as a Program Assistant in the Safe and Stable Homes Project in March 2016.
A native of Atlanta, Katie moved back to the city after completing her master’s in Southern Studies at the University of Mississippi. She is passionate about community engagement and the city of Atlanta. Katie also holds a BS in Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on social media at @katiecarterking.