SAN DIEGO LAW FIRMS RAISE OVER $150,000 TO SUPPORT FAMILIES THROUGH FEEDING SAN DIEGO’S SCHOOL PANTRY PROGRAM
Top firms join Feeding San Diego at Morse High School to open new campus food pantry
SAN DIEGO (December 16, 2025)—For the past 13 years, Feeding San Diego’s Food from the Bar campaign has united the local legal community in a friendly competition to raise funds and volunteer their time supporting the non-profit's mission to provide nutritious meals to anyone in need while maximizing food rescue.
This year’s campaign, held annually in June, raised $150,000 to support Feeding San Diego’s School Pantry Program, a proven, longstanding hunger-relief program that provides free nutritious food to students and their families on K-12 school campuses. Currently, the program is operating on 70 campuses throughout San Diego County to provide critical food assistance to households living on low incomes. According to data from Feeding America, there are more than 100,000 children in San Diego County experiencing food insecurity.
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The firm that took top billing in this year’s campaign is Singleton Schreiber, single-handedly raising over $75,000, both by employees and from the firm itself. The additional firms that comprised the top five fundraisers include Cooley LLP, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, Judicate West, and Garcia Hong Law. An anonymous donor provided a $25,000 matching gift for all donations received during the Food from the Bar campaign, further helping to bolster it. In addition to funds, the law firms also donated their time, giving 318 hours during the monthlong campaign to help sort, pack, and distribute rescued food to San Diegans experiencing food insecurity.
In total, there were 21 participants in this year’s campaign, consisting of law firms, legal services organizations, and government legal offices.
"Addressing food insecurity is essential to strengthening our communities, and Feeding San Diego continues to make a meaningful impact where it matters most. We’re proud to support the new School Pantry at Morse High School, which provides students and their families with reliable, dignified access to the food they need,” said Jerry Singleton, managing partner of Singleton Schreiber. “No child should have to worry about their next meal, and this pantry helps ensure students can focus on learning and thriving."
Since 2021, Feeding San Diego has been focused on expanding its School Pantry Program. For schools to qualify, at least 50% of students must qualify for free or reduced-price meals. In recent years, the program has expanded to 70 campuses across the county, but there are still 56 schools on a waitlist to be part of the program.
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Funds raised during Food from the Bar will be allocated directly to the program, providing operational funding for a new school pantry at Morse High School in Southeast San Diego. The school serves a diverse population of 1,623 students, with 89% of the student body representing communities of color. The school pantry requires $50,000 annually for its operating budget, and the Food from the Bar funding was vital in the growth of the School Pantry Program, including bringing Morse High School off the waitlist. The school has been waiting for its own School Pantry since October 2024, with more than 75% of the student body qualifying for free or reduced-price meals.
“Our decision to partner with Feeding San Diego came from our commitment to equity and our responsibility to remove barriers that prevent students from thriving,” said Principal Cynthia Larkin of Morse High School. “Families in our community are constantly navigating high living costs and the ongoing impact of our current economy. Partnering with Feeding San Diego provides Morse with a sustainable and dignified way to support our families who may be in need. We truly want to make Morse a place where every student feels seen, heard, loved, and respected.”
The School Pantry at Morse High School will provide nutritious groceries for 200 households once a month, with the first distribution happening on Thursday, December 18, from 3-4 p.m. Feeding San Diego is actively seeking donors to sponsor the remaining 56 schools to be able to remove them from the waitlist.
ABOUT FEEDING SAN DIEGO
Feeding San Diego is a non-profit organization on a mission to connect every person facing hunger with nutritious meals by maximizing food rescue. Established in 2007, Feeding San Diego rescues surplus food from local and national food donors before it goes to waste and gets it to people facing hunger in San Diego County. It is the only Feeding America partner food bank in the region. Last year, the hunger-relief organization provided more than 31 million meals to children, families, seniors, college students, military families, and veterans in partnership with a network of more than 350 local charities, schools, colleges, faith communities, healthcare providers, and meal sites. It operates a multitude of hunger-relief and food programs countywide that support people facing hunger with food assistance or resources. Last year, 90% percent of the food distributed by Feeding San Diego was rescued, allowing high-quality food to be redirected instead of going to waste. By diverting more than 32.6 million pounds of food from the landfill each year and using it to feed people facing hunger, Feeding San Diego helps avert 28,986 metric tons of CO2 from being emitted, protecting people and the planet. Every $1 donated helps provide two meals to people facing hunger.
To get involved with Feeding San Diego and learn more about its mission, visit feedingsandiego.org. Get daily updates on social media by following us on Instagram @feedingsandiego.
ABOUT SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
San Diego Unified is the second largest school district in California, with more than 95,000 students enrolled from Transitional Kindergarten through high school, 175 schools, and more than 15,000 dedicated employees. The district serves a diverse student population representing more than 60 languages and dialects. Learn more at sandiegounified.org.
Media Contacts:
Carissa Casares
(858) 343-9433
Allison Glader
(858) 229-1613
