This holiday season, Steeg Law once again continued the firm’s annual tradition of participation in Catholic Charities “Adopt a Family,” a gift-giving program to help families in need.
The partnership with Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of New Orleans (CCANO) each holiday season is a well-established collaboration at Steeg Law. Typically, the firm adopts a disadvantaged family in the greater New Orleans area and staff and attorneys pool resources to bring the spirit of the season into the family’s home.
Jan LeBlanc, who is a paralegal at Steeg Law, organizes the firm’s participation each year. As Jan noted, “This holiday season, the long shadow of COVID-19 presented unprecedented challenges. Not surprisingly, we wanted to carry on in spite of the pandemic, but we felt that the usual approach may not be the best way to move forward this year. We decided to pivot in the direction of the hygienic needs of an often overlooked demographic, that being Senior Citizens and children under age eight, with a note of fun to encourage use in the case of the children.”
The decision was made to focus on purchases that would not be typically made by or for these individuals, because other needs would take priority under COVID-19, and to do so in a way that would keep Steeg Law staff as safe as possible.
Steeg Law purchased reusable tote bags, and everyone claimed a bag for either a Senior or a child or both, male, female, or both. The Senior bags were then filled with basic health and wellness items to include masks, hand sanitizer, soaps, bath bombs, bath sponges, toothbrushes and toothpaste, dental floss, mouth wash, cotton balls, body lotions, socks, shampoos, socks, combs/brushes, etc. In some cases, extras were purchased to include perfumes, cologne, and washcloths. The Kid’s Health Bags included masks, hand sanitizer, toothpaste and toothbrushes, bubble baths/bath bombs, bath toys, lotions, all geared toward children. In some cases, small cloth books were thrown in for good measure. The bags were then labeled and tagged with colorful seasonal ribbons.
The firm delivered 25 bags—eight adult male, six adult female, five male child and six female child.
“They were beautiful, but we thought we could do still more,” Jan said. “We turned our attention to the urgent need for food assistance.”
In response, Steeg Law staff made a donation to the newly established CCANO Food Pantry.
Staff dropped off 136 pounds of non-perishable boxed and canned food items along with eight $65 and two $50 gifts cards to be distributed at the discretion of CCANO based on need, all thanks to the generosity of our attorneys.
In wrapping up this year’s Adopt-a-Family event, Jan said, “COVID-19 has forced us all to reimagine our approach to life, living and in this case, giving. With a renewed awareness of the need so many face in these difficult days, I believe we made a difference.”