Living Dr. King’s Legacy Through Service
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.” At SWMW Law, that belief continues to guide our work – especially when it comes to serving the communities we call home.
While the holidays may have passed, the spirit of service remains strong. In the week leading up to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, SWMW Law chose to honor Dr. King’s legacy in the most meaningful way possible: by giving the gift of time. Last week, 19 employees, members, and attorneys volunteered a total of 68 hours with the dedicated team at Food Outreach.
Working inside Food Outreach’s Nutrition Center, volunteers helped with meals and grocery orders for men, women, and children living with HIV/AIDS or cancer. The team stocked shelves, organized client orders, and assisted with cleaning needs – quiet but powerful acts of service that help ensure dignity, nourishment, and hope for those facing serious illness.
This week of service is part of a long-standing commitment. Over the past several years, SWMW Law has proudly supported Food Outreach through thousands of dollars in donations and more than 400 volunteer hours. It is a partnership grounded in compassion and the shared belief that access to nutritious food is not a luxury, but a lifeline.
“Dr. King reminded us that service is one of the most powerful ways to create change,” said Member Ben Schmickle, who was one of the volunteers last week. “At our firm, serving others isn’t something we do for recognition – it’s part of who we are. We are deeply committed to our clients, and that commitment extends beyond our casework and into our communities. When we give our time to organizations like Food Outreach, we are living out the values Dr. King stood for: compassion, dignity, and care for one another. These moments of service remind us that real impact happens when we show up with humility, empathy, and a genuine desire to help. That’s a legacy we are proud to carry forward.”
For many of the employees who volunteered, the experience was deeply personal.
“I had never worked in a food pantry before, and I wasn’t sure what to expect,” said Paralegal Ashley Winkler. “What I found was an experience that truly moved me. There were moments when I felt my eyes well up because it became so clear why we were there – who we were serving and how much this support matters. It put faces to the need and reminded me that compassion is most powerful when it’s paired with action. Our tagline, Because People Matter, feels especially meaningful in moments like these. I’m incredibly grateful to work for a firm that not only believes in that message but lives it by prioritizing service and community.”
Dr. King’s legacy calls on all of us to lead with service, empathy, and action. At SWMW Law, that legacy lives on – not just during one week, but throughout the year – through continued partnerships, volunteerism, and a steadfast belief that meaningful change begins with showing up for others.
To learn more about Food Outreach and how you can support their mission, visit www.foodoutreach.org.
Thank you to all of our volunteers: Thaina Clote, Ja’nelle Herring, Lauren Lohman, Katie Dauksch, Ashley Thomas, Lindsay Kelley, Ben Schmickle, Abigail Wells, Courtney Gass, Lexi Willian, Brianna Reese, Courtney Jarrell, Crystal Norwood, Ashley Winkler, Rachel Sanders, Dolly Suresh, Melissa Camp, Joe Jordan, and Jelisa Riddlespriger.
