MTO Takes First Place in 2025 Food From The Bar Fundraising Campaigns in Los Angeles and San Francisco
Munger, Tolles & Olson was once again named the top fundraiser in Los Angeles and San Francisco for the 2025 Food From The Bar campaigns, the annual, month-long fundraising and volunteering effort in legal communities supporting their local food banks.
Food from the Bar is a friendly competition among law firms, law schools and legal services organizations to raise the most funds, acquire the most food and work the most volunteer hours at their local Feeding America-affiliated food banks. Since 2009, Food From The Bar has raised more than $6.5 million in Los Angeles. MTO has regularly participated by raising funds and volunteering throughout the program’s history.
During the month of May, the MTO offices hosted various fundraising events, including gratitude grams; The Munger Games, the firm’s annual trivia contest; a “Munger Kart” competition; a Mother’s Day boutique; silent and live auctions and more. In addition, MTO’s professional staff raised $5,000 when they elected to forgo a staff appreciation gift and instead donated the gift’s monetary value to local food banks. Attorneys and staff also participated in volunteer events at their local food banks, where they helped sort, weigh and package tens of thousands of produce and meal kits for distribution.
MTO’s Food From The Bar campaign across all three offices was organized and led by co-chairs Kathleen McDowell, George Garvey, Jessica Laird, Erica Tooch, Andrew Delaplane and Wendy Xiao (Los Angeles); Giovanni Saarman Gonzalez, Taylor Benninger and Gabriel Bronshteyn (San Francisco); and Esthena Barlow (Washington, D.C.).
In total, the 2025 Los Angeles Food From The Bar campaign raised a record-breaking $602,078 for the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, which equates to 2.4 million meals going to those in need in the community. The 60 participating law firms and companies completed a total of 637 volunteer shifts and donated 2,400 pounds of food. This is the eighth consecutive year the firm’s Los Angeles Office has received the Overall Award, and MTO also garnered the Kick-off Award, which goes to the team that raises the most money on the first day of the campaign.
In San Francisco, Food From The Bar raised a total of $453,502 for the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, with more than $129,000 raised by MTO alone. This equated to more than 250,000 meals for neighbors in need and was the ninth time the San Francisco MTO office was named the top fundraiser. MTO’s Stephanie Herrera also contributed to the San Francisco-Marin campaign by chairing the Food From The Bar Advisory Committee.
In Washington, D.C., more than 30 participating law firms, law schools and legal associations raised more than $565,000 for the Capital Area Food Bank, with $25,380 raised by our DC office. Through the funds raised and volunteer hours, those in need in the DMV area will continue to be helped during the critical summer months.
“It’s truly inspiring to watch our legal communities rally together each year, ensuring that families across our cities have access to nourishing meals,” remarked senior counsel Kathleen McDowell. “This campaign reminds us that when we work together, we can make a real difference in the fight against hunger.”