Lobby firms raise money for Haiti

Several prominent lobby firms have set up fundraising drives among their employees to help earthquake-devastated Haiti.
 
Firms have promised to make contributions matching whatever their lobbyists donate to charities working in Haiti. Others are collecting canned goods and supplies to help with the recovery effort for the island nation.
 
{mosads}Patton Boggs — the top earner of lobbying fees on K Street — announced Friday that it would donate $25,000 to the American Red Cross and $25,000 to Doctors Without Borders. In addition, the firm plans to match its employees’ donations up to $50,000 to help Haiti.
 
Stuart Pape, managing partner of Patton Boggs, predicted his firm would find fundraising success since people are eager to help.
 
“We will have no trouble in blowing by the $50,000 mark and the firm will end up contributing $100,000,” Pape said.
 
Others have already been fundraising to help Haiti. On Thursday, top executives at Quinn Gillespie & Associates e-mailed to its employees a list of charities, such as Catholic Relief and AmeriCares, that are operating in Haiti.
 
“The best thing I think you can do now is give money to responsible organizations that are in a position to help,” said Dave Hoppe, president for the firm.
 
Firm co-founder and chairman Jack Quinn and wife Susanna have promised to match employee contributions up to $2,500. Further, the firm itself will match contributions of up to $1,250.
 
Others are joining in the cause to help Haiti.
 
The Podesta Group is offering a matching contribution to CARE to whatever their employees donate to the humanitarian organization. Podesta is also collecting a number of goods to help the relief effort, such as medical supplies, hand sanitizer, dry milk and baby formula, through a campaign organized by the Embassy of Haiti.
 
Holland & Knight’s charitable foundation held a firm-wide fundraiser Friday for relief to Haiti. The firm hopes to raise employee contributions up to $100,000, which the firm will then match in a donation to the Red Cross.
 
“We have a close connection. We have people at this firm who have family there,” said Angela Vlachos Ruth, executive director of the Holland & Knight’s charitable foundation. “The buzz started the morning after. People began to say we need to do something now.”
 
The firms also plans to donate to UNICEF and Save The Children to help Haiti.