Release Date: May 26,2026

Akron Bar Association Perantinides & Nolan Leadership Academy Launches Countywide Law Firm Food Drive Competition

Akron, Ohio, May 20, 2026 — The Akron Bar Association (ABA) Perantinides & Nolan Leadership Academy is proud to announce the launch of its 2026 Food Drive Competition, a community-focused initiative uniting Summit County’s legal community in support of the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank.

Running from May 20th through July 17th, 2026, this friendly competition invites law firms and legal offices across Summit County to come together for a shared purpose: fighting hunger and strengthening the local community. Participating offices will compete to donate the highest number of meals, with updates given at the ABA’s Annual Meeting on June 24, 2026.

A Community Effort with Real Impact

The ABA Leadership Academy Food Drive is designed to make participation accessible, collaborative, and impactful. Firms can contribute meals in three meaningful ways:

Food Donations: Offices may collect non-perishable food items, including boxed cereal, canned soup or stew, canned tuna, vegetables, macaroni and cheese, and peanut butter. The Foodbank will provide collection boxes upon registration, and donations can be dropped off during designated hours.
Monetary Contributions: Every $1 donated provides approximately three meals. Each participating firm will receive a unique donation link to track contributions from its members.
Volunteer Service: Teams may volunteer on-site at the Foodbank by scheduling a time, where their efforts will be converted into meal equivalents.

How It Works

Law firms and offices must register to participate and designate a team captain to coordinate efforts. Offices will be grouped into two categories—small offices (fewer than 20 members) and large offices (20 or more members)—to ensure fair competition.

The ABA will track total meals donated by each office. To ensure accurate reporting:

Food donations must be accompanied by a receipt from the Foodbank and submitted to the submission form.
Volunteer contributions should be documented with a group photo or official meal count provided on-site and submitted to the submission form.
Monetary donations will be automatically tracked through each firm’s unique donation link.

Building Community Beyond the Office

While volunteering is not required, the ABA strongly encourages firms to take advantage of this opportunity to engage in meaningful team-building while giving back. The initiative is open to everyone within a law office, including attorneys, paralegals, interns, and support staff.

“This initiative reflects the legal community’s shared commitment to service,” said a representative of the ABA Leadership Academy. “By working together, we can make a measurable difference for families in need across Summit County.”

Get Involved

Law firms and offices interested in participating can register using the official sign-up link and begin organizing their internal efforts. Early registration is encouraged to maximize impact throughout the competition period.

For additional information on this program, please contact Chris Mobley at cmobley@legaldefenders.org,

Andy Maltiz at amalitz@akronbar.org, or Anna Theis at atheis@akronbar.org.