Shown from left are, seated: Tanya Kohler, Renee Newbigging. Standing: Connor Graham, Esq.; Noelle Stefanoski; Joshua J. Perry, Esq.; Michael O’Donnell, Esq.; Cathy O’Donnell, Esq.; Neil T. O’Donnell, Esq.; Tyler Russell, Director of Student Life and Athletics, LCCC; President John Yudichak, LCC; Holly Pilcavage, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Success, LCCC; Erin Herman, Vice President of Finance, LCCC.
Each winter, O’Donnell Law Offices carries on a tradition that has become one of the most meaningful parts of the holiday season for the firm: the annual coat and food drive benefiting students and families at Luzerne County Community College (LCCC). What began years ago as a simple decision to replace in-office gift exchanges with community giving has grown into an impactful, firm-wide effort that provides warmth, nourishment, and dignity to neighbors who need it most.
Transforming Holiday Giving Into Community Impact
Attorney Michael O’Donnell explains that the project was born out of a desire to turn something routine into something purposeful. Instead of exchanging holiday gifts with one another, the team selects community members in need and gathers items that make a real difference—coats for children, pantry staples, toys, and financial support.
“We took the whole concept of giving gifts within the office, and transformed that into something where we each select names of community members in need,” Michael shared. “Whether it’s coats, toys, food, monetary donations—we found that had a lasting impact… people really need these things. They really appreciate them, and it does a lot of good for our neighbors.”
This year, the firm shopped for 53 children, ensuring each child received a warm winter coat and meaningful holiday support.
Meeting Real Needs at Luzerne County Community College
This long-standing Christmas project directly supports LCCC students—many of whom are balancing coursework, family responsibilities, and financial challenges. According to LCCC President John Yudichak, the drive arrives at a time when students need it most.
“Each and every year, they step up,” President Yudichak said. “We have a coat drive that they do each and every year for students that have children in need of coats… The O’Donnell Law Firm steps up, and we’re able to provide this at a very special time of the year.”
He also emphasized the importance of supporting the College’s food pantry, which remains heavily used throughout the year—especially during the holiday season. “The food donations go a long way to helping our students at Luzerne County Community College,” he added.
A Full-Team Tradition of Service
For Cathy O’Donnell—Immediate Past Chair of the LCCC Board of Trustees—this initiative represents both a community responsibility and a personal commitment to the students she has long supported.
“In lieu of exchanging gifts with each other, the office has always done a Christmas project,” she explained. “For the last several years, we’ve done the coat project for students in need of coats for their children… And what better cause can there be than to keep a child warm as we enter this harsh winter and this holiday season?”
Cathy noted that the food pantry support is equally essential: “We know that people are hungry. And so… we also try to stock some shelves for the food pantry that’s there.”
Above all, she stressed that this is a true team effort. “I want to make clear, it is each and every coworker who is standing beside me every day who is in support of this Christmas project, and we just couldn’t be happier to be a part of it.”
A Tradition Rooted in Compassion
What began as a reimagined holiday gift exchange has become a meaningful annual tradition—one that reflects the firm’s values, its gratitude for the community, and its deep belief that even small acts of kindness can create lasting change.
This year’s donations—including warm winter coats for 53 children, children’s items, and food pantry supplies—will once again help local families and students feel supported during the coldest and most challenging months of the year. And for the team at O’Donnell Law Offices, there is no more meaningful gift than that.