On January 7, 2012, associate attorneys from the Davis Brown Law Firm collaborated to make a dinner for the families of the New Directions Shelter in Des Moines. The group made spaghetti and meatballs, a salad, and dessert. In addition to the meal, the attorneys also raised more than $220 in donations for the shelter.

Since opening in 1990, New Directions Shelter has provided free, temporary, emergency shelter and services for homeless mothers and their children. The shelter serves approximately 350 families every year. New Directions is a service of Hawthorn Hill, a program established to create and operate housing programs for homeless families with children that help them obtain permanent housing, and provide services to help families achieve economic self-sufficiency.