Twelve Carlson Law Firm offices across the state of Texas have quietly been working to improve the lives of children in their communities for the last year and we are happy to announce that our charitable program, Carlson Cares, is celebrating its first year as a source of community improvement.
Carlson Cares began as a way to support our employees’ involvement in the organizations they privately support. But the program quickly turned into a community-focused organization in its own right. Each month, a different Carlson Law Firm office location hosts a ‘Party With a Purpose’ where we give school supplies, meals and other materials to help strengthen families in our community and show them we are a resource they can depend on.
In the last year, the program has raised and donated thousands of dollars to local organizations, as well as hosted family-friendly community events for our friends and neighbors from the West Texas desert to the South Texas beaches.
Carlson Cares officially kicked off with a ‘Party with a Purpose’ in Temple, Texas when the firm gave away more than 75 backpacks filled with school supplies and coupons for free haircuts to children in the community.
Another notable event was our Bryan office’s first annual Thanksgiving-in-a-Basket giveaway last November. Bryan’s ‘Party with a Purpose’ attendees received a basket filled with Thanksgiving dinner staples and a $25 gift card to H-E-B to cover the cost of a turkey.
Further, each month, a different location takes several employees to volunteer at local non-profit organizations. For example:
- The Carlson Law Firm’s Killeen office took more than 30 employees in March to volunteer at Families in Crisis, the shelter for women in the area escaping abuse. Employees did everything from cleaning the kitchen to painting to replacing ceiling tiles.
- The firm’s Laredo office took employees to volunteer at the Laredo-Webb County Children’s Advocacy Center.
- Our Round Rock office volunteered time to read to students and donated more than 400 books to an elementary school in their community to encourage summer reading.
- Both of our San Antonio locations volunteered to spend time with children at the San Antonio Children’s Hospital and donated proceeds from its Fiesta 2019 Pin Pandemonium sales to the hospital.
- Our South Austin locations gave back to the community through feeding vulnerable populations. Employees in the personal injury department volunteered at the Caritas Community Kitchen in Austin. While our nursing home team volunteered at the Mobile Food Pantry in Manor, Texas.
- Our Lubbock office held a number of community events in the past year, including a Movie in the Park and a Halloween Trunk-or-Treat.
Our biggest moment occurred when, through our Carlson Cares program, The Carlson Law Firm made Christmas miracles happen for three Texas families in San Antonio, Austin, and Lubbock.
“Our firm is built on a foundation of helping people and this program is an extension of the ways we can and do help,” said Managing Partner Craig Carlson. “Helping people is more than just sponsorships and giving money to non-profits. We are out here with our neighbors, meeting them and making these connections so that our community knows Carlson Cares is a resource that is available to help them when they need it. ‘We care, we can help’ is more than a tagline for The Carlson Law Firm. We hire for heart and as a result, our employees are very civic minded. Carlson Cares starts with the compassion and drive to give back in each and every one of our employees.”
In the coming year, Carlson Cares will be hosting bigger and better ‘Parties with a Purpose’.
“Our goal this year is to reach more people through the work we’re doing,” Carlson said.
