Changing Lives, One Step at a Time

For tens of millions of students, a nourishing breakfast, lunch or snack from the World Food Programme (WFP) is the only meal they can rely on.

So when global law firm Latham & Watkins, which also happens to be one of the world’s largest providers of pro bono legal services, launched its 10th annual Spring Challenge this year to encourage its lawyers and staff to spend less time sitting and more time moving, it wanted to make every step count.

By offering to donate one school meal to WFP for every 5,000 steps reached each day by participants, Latham inspired more than 3,000 of its people to get “Fit for Good.” Colleagues across 28 office teams from San Francisco to Singapore tracked their steps using a Fitbit, fiercely competing to earn the most meals for kids in need.

The result? 120,000 school meals donated through WFP for hungry children around the world.

“Good health and a world without hunger go hand-in-hand,” said Mark Goldberg, Latham & Watkins’ Senior Manager of Global Health & Well-Being. “We are thrilled to know that our lawyers and staff are making a difference in the lives of children where it is needed most.”

Over the four-week Challenge, these “hunger heroes” found creative ways to make an impact. From hiking excursions to urban obstacle course competitions, participants logged steps through a broad range of physical activities including bowling, cycling, power-walking, and ping-pong, not to mention walking tours, yoga classes, barre, and spinning.

Over the last three years as part of its annual Spring Challenge, Latham & Watkins has donated 270,000 school meals to children in need. As the world’s largest provider of school meals, WFP incentivizes parents to send their children to school instead of sending them to find work—fueling good nutrition for their future growth and development while allowing students to focus on their education instead of their hungry stomachs.

“Latham’s inspiring lawyers and staff are changing lives worldwide,” said Laura Starr, World Food Program USA’s Director of Corporate Partnerships. “This kind of impact is only possible when people make our vision of Zero Hunger their own.”

In addition to its donation of 120,000 school meals to WFP in 2018, the firm also awarded each of five winning office teams a monetary prize that they can donate to a local anti-hunger charity of their choice—helping their personnel make both a global and local impact.