Food In Tummies (FIT) Program Aims to Eliminate Weekend Hunger for Local Schoolchildren
AUSTIN, Texas – June 11, 2015 –Elizabeth Ross Hadley, of counsel in the Austin office of the international law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, has taken over as chair of the Austin-based Food In Tummies (FIT) program facilitated by the Junior League of Austin (JLA).
The FIT program was created by The Junior League of Austin (JLA) in collaboration with the Del Valle Independent School District to provide weekend nourishment to children in grades K through 5 who qualify for free and reduced meals through the National School Lunch program (NSLP). According to its website, the FIT program has provided over 54,000 backpacks over the course of 34 weeks to the entire student populations at both Baty Elementary and Hillcrest Elementary for the 2014-2015 academic year.
“Food insecurity has a snowball effect on the lives of young children,” said Hadley. “As we partner with the schools, we notice better attendance and academic performance in children who have been properly nourished. I am passionate about the well-being and education of local youth and am honored to serve as chair of the FIT program in the coming year.”
“We are proud of Elizabeth for her role in educating the community about childhood hunger and for her leadership role in addressing the problem,” said Darrell R. Windham, Greenberg Traurig co-managing shareholder of the firm’s Austin office. “At Greenberg Traurig, we believe in serving the community, particularly our children who are the future of central Texas.”
Hadley is an active member of the Austin community and has been a member of JLA for six years. She focuses her law practice on government law and policy and litigation matters. Her government law and policy practice focuses on legislative and policy issues, including insurance regulation, economic development, health care policy, and campaign finance compliance. She has legislative and agency experience working in the U.S. Senate, the Texas State Senate, and the Texas Department of Agriculture. Hadley also has wide-ranging litigation experience, including representation of financial institutions, health care providers, public and private corporations, and state governmental entities. Hadley has trial experience, including first and second chair in jury and bench trials, motions practice, discovery, and mediation.