Women Helping Women

At first glance, a room full of guests making friendly introductions and exchanging business cards over cocktails and hors d’ oeuvres would seem to have little connection to a woman staring at her empty closet, worrying that she has nothing suitable to wear to a critical job interview that could change the trajectory of her life. A struggling mom wishing she could give her little girl just one toy or doll to play with and a professional looking to forge new connections and develop their business may appear on the surface to be an incongruous pairing.

But to a group of attorneys at Chuhak & Tecson sitting around a table in 2009, the challenges and burdens, dreams and ambitions of all of these women were inextricably linked. It was at this meeting, as they discussed the professional obstacles they faced and the fundamental and unmet needs of struggling women throughout their communities, that Women Helping Women was born.

Since then, thousands of local attorneys, business leaders, entrepreneurs, decision makers and strategic partners have forged bonds, exchanged ideas, generated new business and shared laughter and conversation, all while bringing hope, assistance and opportunities for women facing an array of personal, parenting and economic challenges.

The Women Helping Women initiative is a deeply personal endeavor for the attorneys of Chuhak & Tecson and a source of immense pride for the firm as a whole. For the attendees who participate and the women the program helps – the rewards are both tangible and unquantifiable. It is reflected in a new business relationship between two professionals with complementary talents and objectives. It can be felt by a single mother who confidently strides into that crucial job interview in a sharp, clean ensemble. It can be seen in the smile of a child who holds a multicultural or diverse-ability doll that looks like them. And it can be reflected in the relief and sense of security felt by a woman who has found a safe haven from an abusive relationship or the horrors of human trafficking.

The cornerstone of Women Helping Women is an annual, two-hour Mix-and-Mingle networking event that brings together attendees from scores of industries across the business and professional spectrum. For each event, which consistently brings together over 150 guests, Women Helping Women identifies and partners with a local nonprofit organization dedicated to helping women or women and their children. For this creative, integrated approach to professional growth and community service, Women Helping Women received an IDEA award from the Association of Legal Administrators, which recognizes new practices that deliver great value and transformational impact through innovative achievement.

To date, the program has contributed to 22 philanthropic partners, including:

• Anthony’s Avengers
• Between Friends
• Box United and its Fight Like a Girl program
• Concordia Place
• Chicago House
• Jewish Child & Family Services
• Love Purse
• Magdalene House
• The Night Ministry
• The Nora Project
• The Period Collective

In Fall 2025, celebrating its 16^th anniversary and 22^nd Mix-and-Mingle, Women Helping Women supported The Period Collective, a nonprofit organization grounded in the belief that menstrual equity is a fundamental human right. The Period Collective collects and provides menstrual products to local shelters, transitional housing facilities, schools and food banks. Since its inception, this organization has distributed more than 3.3 million individual menstrual products to a range of social service entities. Having access to these essential products allows women and girls in need to manage monthly stresses with more comfort and security. Chuhak & Tecson, through its 2025 Women Helping Women event, is proud to have collected 19,200 individual menstrual products for The Period Collective and we thank our event guests and employees for their immense generosity.

Strong and determined professionals from across Chicago lifting each other up, backed by a firm wholly committed to their efforts, are what have made Women Helping Women such an impactful and powerful force for positive change and better lives.

To learn more about Women Helping Women or to suggest a nonprofit partner for upcoming events, contact Sydney Iglitzen, Manager of Marketing and Communications, at 312.201.3437 or siglitzen@chuhak.com.