At Very Law, we are very committed to giving back to our community throughout the year and actively seek out the chance to lift others up. During Christmas time, the needs of those less fortunate in Pittsburgh are further amplified when there isn’t enough money for essentials, let alone gifts under the tree. 

The holidays can be a difficult time for many people enduring challenging circumstances, especially children in shelters. Most of the time, these children feel forgotten about and it becomes all too apparent during the holidays when they don’t receive anything while seeing images of joy and celebration all around them. 

Holiday magic is something that every child deserves to experience, and to make this time of year special for underprivileged children, we have continued our tradition of participating in the ACBA YLD Children’s Gift Drive. Attorney Erin Volz volunteered her time by sitting as a co-chair on the YLD Children’s Gift Drive and Stocking Stuffer Event Committee, and was involved in every step of the process for organizing and completing this event.

Reaching the Community to Make the Holidays Magical and Memorable for Children

The members of the ACBA Young Lawyers Division work to make the holidays special for underprivileged children, and the annual YLD Children's Gift Drive and Stocking Stuffer Event provides one of the most fulfilling ways to give back. Through this event, attorneys and other individuals within and outside the community sponsored unprivileged children in local shelters and organizations throughout Allegheny County by purchasing the children's holiday gifts.

Within her role as co-chair, Attorney Volz assisted with contacting local shelters and other organizations within Western Pennsylvania to identify children to participate in the event. 

Additionally, Attorney Volz contacted legal organizations within Allegheny County, and other individuals within and outside the community, to ask them to sponsor those children in the gift drive and volunteer at the stocking stuffer event. 

Thankfully, it’s not difficult to convince others to join such a rewarding cause. Organizations and individuals that agreed to join forces for the greater good of children were provided with a child to sponsor. Children in these programs make a list of their interests and items they wish to receive. Once these lists are provided, local attorneys, law firms, and other non-attorney individuals buy the gifts on each sponsor child’s wish list.

On December 7th, the members of the committee, ACBA and YLD members, and volunteer attorneys stuffed the stockings with care and delivered them to these children’s organizations. This year, there were 1,262 children participating in the gift drive receiving 1-3 gifts. Additionally, 577 stockings were stuffed and delivered to the participating shelters and organizations. They also got a surprise visit from Santa and enjoyed an event full of holiday fun and cheer. We were very eager to spread joy to children at this time of year as a way to provide hope and inspiration for a brighter future.

Each attorney at Very Law sponsored a child, supporting a total of five children during the ACBA YLD Children’s Gift Drive, cherishing our role as elves for the less fortunate. We believe in going beyond the walls of our law offices to make a difference in the world, starting with our local community. In order to help young children thrive and keep them from losing hope, we focus on making this a time filled with positivity.

Every child deserves to feel special and appreciated, and during Christmas, we have the distinctive opportunity to make a positive impression. We encourage others to participate in this worthy cause and use other opportunities to bring light, joy, and holiday magic to those in our community who need miracles.