In an interview with Buffalo Business First, Joseph M. Hanna talks about his drive to give back to the community and the rapid growth of Bunkers in Baghdad, the nonprofit he started in 2008.

Joe, co-chair of Goldberg Segalla’s Retail and Hospitality practice, came up with the idea for Bunkers in Baghdad after seeing television images of troops in the desert, and thought providing golf clubs and balls to a few servicemen and women might give them a much-needed break from the Iraqi war zones around them.

“It’s amazing how many partners, the impact, and how many troops and vets we’ve worked with over the years,” Joe explained. “It just started out as a little Buffalo charity and now it’s turned into a global charity with national partners.”

With media coverage by Sports Illustrated, The Golf Channel, Golf Digest, The Wall Street Journal, and others, Bunkers in Baghdad has gained participation from Callaway and Dick’s Sporting Goods, and has added a national “Bunkers Buddies” program engaging kids from more than 1,500 schools nationwide to collect donations in their communities.

“The troops overseas aren’t as front and center as they were a decade ago, so they say thank you for not forgetting about us, especially in this COVID environment,” Joe said.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE:

“Building a Better Buffalo: Joseph Hanna’s Passion to Help Vets and Active Military,” Buffalo Business First, December 27, 2021

MORE ABOUT GOLDBERG SEGALLA’S JOSEPH M. HANNA:

Joseph M. Hanna is a commercial litigator and legal adviser recognized for his work in retail and hospitality as well as sports and entertainment law. With a national practice and an industry-wide reputation for leadership, Joe was the youngest honoree ever to be named Lawyer of the Year in the Bar Association of Erie County’s 130-year history. Joe is also a leading voice for diversity in the legal and business communities. He is chair of Goldberg Segalla’s Diversity Task Force and has held multiple leadership roles in the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) as well as diversity-related positions within the American Bar Association (ABA), DRI, and other organizations