At Gfeller Laurie LLP, we are deeply committed to the communities in which we live and work. We connect to the community through the pro bono legal services we provide to persons of limited means, the community service activities we undertake to build and strengthen the community, and the financial support we provide to charitable and cultural organizations.
We currently serve the community individually through the following organizations:
- Bay Path University
- Bridge Family Center
- Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Hartford
- CRIS Radio
- Foodshare
- Gifts of Love, CT (Avon)
- Hartford Habitat for Humanity
- HomeFront
- Judicial Intern Opportunity Program
- Junior League of Greater Hartford
- Klingberg Family Centers
- No Kid Hungry/Feed the Kids
- Pet Rescue of Mercer
- St. Francis Foundation
- St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center
- The Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma
- The Mitchell House
- The Monkey & The Elephant
- University of Connecticut Health Center
Additionally, we recently launched our community impact project, Defending Against Hunger, which is aimed at reducing hunger and providing children with increased education about and access to healthy foods. We support the great works of FoodShare, Foodcorps, as well as other local nonprofits addressing food insecurity.
Here are other examples of our community involvement:
Mitchell House Food Drive 2024 in Hartford
To give back to the local community this Thanksgiving, Gfeller Laurie’s West Hartford office donated food and personal care items to the Mitchell House, a Hartford-based food pantry that supports families in need. In addition to the donations, the Gfeller Laurie attorneys and staff also volunteered their time to help assemble and hand out food bags. This marks the firm’s 8th year partnering with Mitchell House, and we are grateful for the opportunity to work with and support such an incredible organization!
Mitchell House Food Drive 2024 in Hartford
Once again, Gfeller Laurie’s New Jersey office came together this Thanksgiving season to collect and donate food items to HomeFront New Jersey. HomeFront’s mission is to end homelessness in Central New Jersey by harnessing the caring resources and expertise of the community, with a state goal of providing every family with the opportunity to enjoy a home-cooked meal on Thanksgiving Day.
Habitat for Humanity Women Build 2024
On May 16, 2024, ten Gfeller Laurie LLP attorneys and staff participated in the annual Habitat for Humanity North Central Connecticut “Women Build” event. The Women Build Day offers women an opportunity to actively engage in community service learning, using home construction and repair skills. This year, our team of “GL Builders” spent the day working on site in East Hartford, CT with Habitat for Humanity volunteer crew supervisors. The GL Builders built both interior and exterior walls for one of the residential units. Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing people together to help build homes in the hope of creating a world where everyone has a decent place to live. This is the Firm’s fourth year participating in this event. We are grateful for the opportunity to support such a meaningful cause, and we look forward to another great build next year!
Mitchell House Food Drive 2023 in Hartford
In support of the local community during Thanksgiving, Gfeller Laurie attorneys and staff again donated food products and put together dozens of food bags for Mitchell House, a Hartford food pantry for local families.
Homefront Food Drive 2023 in New Jersey
Gfeller Laurie’s New Jersey office collected and donated food products this Thanksgiving for HomeFront New Jersey, whose mission is to end homelessness and break the cycle of poverty in Central New Jersey by harnessing the caring, resources and expertise of the community.
30th Annual Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame Gala and Induction Ceremony
Linda Hadley, Deb Dorio, Karen Noble, Kaylee Navarra, Hannah Livezey and Lynn Levasseur of Gfeller Laurie LLP, along with their invited guests, attended the 30th annual Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame Gala and Induction ceremony at The Bushnell in Hartford, Connecticut on October 26, 2023. Celebrating “Women Who Build,” the evening included presentations about the living inductees, Carla Squatrito (founder of Carla’s Pasta, at one time the largest provider of frozen pasta in the United States), Lisa Cortés (award winning record, TV, and movie producer) and Laura Cruickshank, AIA (university master planner and chief architect for University of Connecticut campuses). All the new inductees presented inspiring acceptance speeches to several hundred attendees, including U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, state and local political figures and a dozen pioneering women who were previously inducted into the Hall of Fame. Also inducted this year was the late Regina Winters-Toussaint, advocate for neighborhood planning, a champion of New Haven and the first African-American woman principal of an architecture and planning firm in the State of Connecticut.
Gfeller Laurie LLP has supported the Hall of Fame’s mission for many years. Partner Linda Hadley is a founding member of the organization, and the firm regularly attends its educational webinars. In addition to the annual induction gala each fall honoring notable Connecticut women in a variety of fields, the Hall sponsors a generous annual scholarship and educational programs for Connecticut schools including StemFems, Ms. Story and lesson plans for students of all ages. The organization and its supporters engage Connecticut communities with stories of women’s struggles and accomplishments, traveling “on the road” talks, a monthly webinar series and promotion of the Connecticut Women’s Heritage Trail.
Gfeller Laurie LLP is proud to support the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame in its celebration of Connecticut women’s accomplishments.
23rd Annual BLN Charity Golf Tournament
On October 10, 2023, attorneys Linda Hadley and Anne Nye joined approximately 100 other golfers and participated in the 23rd annual BLN (Brooks, Todd & McNeil Insurance, Litchfield Bancorp and Northwest Community Bank) Charity Golf Tournament at Torrington Country Club.
Gfeller Laurie LLP has proudly sponsored this event for many years, which raises thousands of dollars for community agencies in Litchfield County, including the Susan B. Anthony Project, Friends in Service to Humanity of Northwestern Connecticut, McCall Behavioral Health Network and The Open Door and Community Kitchen of Torrington.
Gfeller Laurie’s community service committee also supports other agencies in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey throughout the year who work to fight food insecurity and also helps provide housing to those unable to obtain conventional financing through its annual contributions of time and financial support to Habitat for Humanity.
Habitat for Humanity Women Build 2023
On March 17, 2023, Gfeller Laurie LLP attorneys and staff created a team of 10 and participated in Habitat for Humanity of North Central Connecticut annual Women’s Build Day. GL Builders worked with Habitat volunteer crew supervisors for a day to help build framing that will be used for six new homes in Hartford. Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that helps families build a place to call home. They believe affordable housing is a vital role to have strong and stable communities. We are happy to contribute to Habitat and its mission and to be a part of such a great cause!
Mitchell House Food Drive 2022
In support of the local community, GL attorneys and staff again donated food products and put together 250 food bags for Mitchell House, a Hartford food pantry for local families. Happy Thanksgiving and all the best for the holiday season.
HomeFront New Jersey 2022
The New Jersey office of Gfeller Laurie collected and donated food products this Thanksgiving for HomeFront New Jersey. Their mission is to end homelessness and break the cycle of poverty in Central New Jersey by harnessing the caring, resources and expertise of the community
Bridge Family Center’s Annual Children’s Charity Ball
Gfeller Laurie LLP purchased a table and attended the 23rd annual Children’s Charity Ball, The Bridge Family Center’s annual fundraiser, on April 30. Based in West Hartford, The Bridge Family Center is a comprehensive, regional nonprofit agency and safe haven that provides a broad range of counseling services for children and families, many of whom have been emotionally and financially challenged by the pandemic.
Founding partner Robert Laurie and his wife Tamara are Honorary Chairs of the event. Associate Shrina Faldu is a member of the Center’s Board of Directors. Attending the Ball were partner Linda Hadley, the Honorable Judge Bill Hadley, founding partner Charles Gfeller and his wife Alena Gfeller and managing partner Melicent Thompson (L-R in attached photo).
Mitchell House Food Drive 2021
Once again, the Gfeller Laurie team helped supply holiday meals to families in need for Thanksgiving at the Hartford Neighborhood Center, whose mission is to provide an educational, cultural, social and recreational ‘safe haven’ for under-served individuals and families in Hartford and its surrounding communities.
Mitchell House Food Drive 2020
The Gfeller Laurie team helped supply holiday meals to approximately 385 families for Thanksgiving at the Hartford Neighborhood Center, whose mission is to provide an educational, cultural, social and recreational ‘safe haven’ for under-served individuals and families in Hartford and its surrounding communities.
Homefront Thanksgiving Drive 2020
Once again, our Princeton, New Jersey office supported the vulnerable families in our local community. Our goal was to make sure that every family had the opportunity to experience the joy of having a home-cooked meal on Thanksgiving Day.
Diaper and Wipe Drive for The Town That Cares Food Pantry
Gfeller Laurie recently organized a Diaper and Wipe Drive and donated the items to The Town That Cares Food Pantry in West Hartford. More than 800 households a year receive food and basic household items from the Food Pantry. Donations like this assist West Hartford residents struggling to put food on their tables.
Bridge Family Center’s Annual Children’s Charity Ball
On January 18, 2020, a contingent from Gfeller Laurie attended the 21st Annual Children’s Charity Ball, the signature fundraiser of Bridge Family Center in West Hartford, which supports children, adults, and families in the region. The elegant black-tie evening with a reception, dinner and live and silent auctions was attended by 300 people. For 50 years, the Bridge Family Center has dedicated itself to enhancing and transforming the lives of people seeking care, hope, and healing. The theme of the evening was ‘Staying the Course’. Shrina Faldu, an attorney at GL, currently serves as a Member of the Bridge Board of Trustees.
Mitchell House Food Drive 2019
The Gfeller Laurie team stuffed and handed out approximately 400 food bags for Thanksgiving at the Hartford Neighborhood Center, whose mission is to provide an educational, cultural, social and recreational ‘safe haven’ for under-served individuals and families in Hartford and its surrounding communities. https://www.hnci.org/
Habitat for Humanity Women Build
On May 16, 2019 a team of our staff and attorney “builders” participated in the annual Hartford Habitat for Humanity “Women Build” event. This is the second year of the firm’s participation in the event. The mission of Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program is to recruit, educate and nurture women to build and advocate for simple, decent and affordable houses in their communities. Men are also welcomed as team members. Each team of twelve members raises funds for Hartford Habitat initiatives and then spends one full day building on the site of future Habitat homes. This year our builders, working with Habitat volunteer crew supervisors, helped with framing, drywalling, painting and flooring at the four homes going up in Hartford’s north end. We feel fortunate to be a part of such an awesome annual event in our community and look forward to the dedication and key ceremony for these homes in the fall of this year.
Mitchell House Food Drive 2018
Following tradition, our West Hartford Office participated in the Mitchell House Food Drive, donating non-perishable food items and organizing bags to distribute to hungry families in need this Thanksgiving.
Homefront Thanksgiving Drive 2018
Once again, our Princeton, New Jersey office supported the vulnerable families in our local community. We were able to contribute approximately three times the number of food baskets as we did in 2017! Our goal was to make sure that every family had the opportunity to experience the joy of having a home-cooked meal on Thanksgiving Day.
Junior League of Hartford Volunteer-A-Thon 2018
Olivia Tawa participated in the Junior League of Hartford (“JLH”) Volunteer-A-Thon, working with JLH’s community partner, the United Labor Agency – Labor of Love Backpack Program. JLH volunteers helped pack one month’s worth of weekend food for the Labor of Love Backpack Program. The backpacks were packed with child-friendly, non-perishable foods for the weekend. The backpacks contained enough food to feed a child for the weekend and included food for at least one family meal. JLH also donated books from Barnes & Noble to the program to include in the backpacks for the children each week.
The Volunteer-A-Thon is a mission-based fundraiser where JLH members volunteered with a variety of local nonprofit organizations throughout Greater Hartford for 26.2 continuous hours on Friday, November 9th and Saturday, November 10th.
Children’s Home Society Toy Drive 2017
Our Princeton, New Jersey office participated in the Children’s Home Society Toy Drive, donating presents to bring joy this Christmas to at-risk children in need.
Mitchell House Food Drive 2017
Once again, our West Hartford Office participated in the Mitchell House Food Drive, donating non-perishable food items and organizing bags to distribute to hungry families in need this Thanksgiving.
Homefront Thanksgiving Drive 2017
Our Princeton, New Jersey office supported vulnerable families in our local community by contributing food baskets. By partaking in this food drive, we sought to enable every family to have the opportunity to experience the joy of having a home-cooked meal on Thanksgiving Day.
For more information please visit: https://www.homefrontnj.org/
Foodshare’s Walk For Hunger
Food Drive for The Mitchell House
In the past, our community service projects have also supported:
Habitat for Humanity and the Wounded Warrior Project.
