The Challenge provides Bay Area lawyers – who are known to be highly competitive and generous – a unique way to give back to the community, have fun, and build morale. Over the last 24 years, more than 50 Bay Area law firms have contributed more than $26 million.
Early Koko Beginnings
In 1987, United Way and volunteers initiated a strategy to deeply engage the Bay Area legal community in our mission. Ted Hall, Director at McKinsey & Company, Guy Rounsaville, General Counsel for Wells Fargo, and Kay Dryden, General Counsel at Charles Schwab formed the founding committee and recruited ten other General Counsel and Managing Partners.
As the committee began work, a picture emerged of highly motivated legal community whose generosity and caring were not always readily apparent to the general public. The committee identified an opportunity to link law firms more directly to philanthropy through an enhanced partnership with United Way and a philanthropic competition.
Koko: A Unique Competition is Born
The competition’s creators wanted a whimsical theme. The General Counsel from toy manufacturer, Dakin & Company, provided an inspiration in Koko the gorilla, a popular plush animal based on a real gorilla that learned sign language. Top competitors were awarded stuffed gorillas: “Big Koko,” “Little Koko,” and “Baby Koko” based on the size of their firms. Additionally, the leading employee Campaign Coordinator was called the “Top Banana”. Within a few years, participating law firms rose dramatically, and contributions grew from $200,000 to over a million.
Where Koko Funds Go
Koko donations are used to support United Way programs that directly serve struggling Bay Area residents. United Way provides the resources and guidance people need to move out of poverty. A gift to United Way, not only helps our community members, but it creates a stronger Bay Area for us all. Learn more about United Way’s poverty-cutting programs.
For Koko Challenge information, click here or contact:
Danielle Cohen
Senior Associate Director, Development
United Way of the Bay Area
(415) 808-4322
| 2011 / 2012 UNITED WAY OF THE BAY AREA KOKO CABINET |
| Michelle Banks (Chair) EVP, General Counsel, Gap, Inc. Charles S. Custer Partner, Gordon & Rees LLPNancy Greenan Hamill Campus Counsel, University of California, Office of the General Counsel. Senior Counsel – Governance & Compliance Kevin Haroff David A. Hearth |
Michael W. Kelly Partner, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP Rick Kopf Managing Director Operations & General Counsel, The Fremont GroupR. Hewitt Pate VP, General Counsel, Chevron Corporation James Potter Jay J. Price Bill Sawyers
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Jim Strother EVP, General Counsel Wells Fargo & Co.Vanessa Washington Senior EVP, General Counsel & Secretary, Bank of the West
Koko is a registered trademark of the Gorilla Foundation, a local non-profit organization that can be designated through the United Way campaign. The Gorilla Foundation can be reached at (650) 216-6450. |
