About 75 Chuhak & Tecson employees volunteered at the Greater Chicago Food Depository on February 22. The project served as one of the firm’s "25 Ways to Give Back" during its Silver Anniversary year.
Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. continued its “25 Ways to Give Back” celebration in February with two community service projects.
Event Partner: Soles4Souls
To kick off February’s community service initiatives, Chuhak & Tecson partnered with Soles4Souls, a not-for-profit organization that distributes shoes to people in need around the world. Collectively, Chuhak & Tecson employees donated 312 pairs of new and gently used shoes, with one individual bringing in 70 pairs he had collected himself.
Property manager Tishman Speyer placed a collection box in Leather Care Shoe Repair on the lower level of 30 S. Wacker Drive, where Chuhak & Tecson is located. Mercury Shipping, one of the firm’s vendors, generously donated the cost of mailing the shoes to Soles4Souls. This ripple effect supports Chuhak & Tecson’s 25th anniversary mission to inspire others to make 2012 a year of service.
To date, Soles4Souls has distributed more than 16 million pairs of shoes to people worldwide. Discover how you can help make a difference at Soles4Souls.org.
Event Partner: Greater Chicago Food Depository
Chuhak & Tecson had a soft close of its office the afternoon of Wednesday, February 22 so firm employees could volunteer at the Greater Chicago Food Depository. About 75 employees boarded buses and spent the day packing food at the Food Depository’s facility located on the South Side of Chicago.
Upon arrival at the Food Depository, Chuhak & Tecson employees were divided into two groups. One group sorted and boxed 13,500 pounds of summer sausage into 540 cases, and the other group sorted 5,775 pounds of pasta into 3,210 individual bags. The food will be distributed to food pantries across Chicago.
Volunteers comprise 90 percent of the Greater Chicago Food Depository’s workforce. The organization distributes food to 678,000 people in Chicagoland every year through a network of 650 food pantries, shelters and soup kitchens. In addition to feeding the hungry, the Food Depository conducts training programs aimed at helping individuals and families break their cycles of poverty. Learn more about the Greater Chicago Food Depository at ChicagosFoodBank.org.
In celebration of its silver anniversary, Chuhak & Tecson employees are participating in 25 service projects assisting those in need. Projects include everything from serving meals to the homeless to making blankets for soldiers stationed overseas. Visit 25 Ways We’re Giving Back for ongoing updates.
Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. is dishing up another volunteer project as part of its “25 Way to Give Back” program by partnering with the Jewish United Fund Uptown Café, Chicago’s first kosher anti-hunger program for the needy.
On March 8, about a dozen Chuhak & Tecson employees will volunteer at the Uptown Café, located on the North Side of Chicago. Uptown Café offers guests a restaurant-style atmosphere where volunteers serve patrons a hot meal and provide friendly conversation.
Chuhak & Tecson Principal Mitchell Feinberg, who has been involved with JUF for many years, thought the Uptown Café fit perfectly with the firm’s “25 Ways to Give Back” silver anniversary program.
“I brought my wife and two kids to my first volunteer experience at the Uptown Café,” Feinberg said. “My kids were too young to serve food, so instead they ran back and forth getting milk and water for people. They enjoyed themselves, and it was great for them to be involved in a program that offers such a unique and dignified atmosphere.”
The JUF Uptown Café serves as the fifth activity in Chuhak & Tecson’s yearlong community service initiative. In celebration of its 25th anniversary, firm employees are participating in 25 service projects assisting those in need. Projects include everything from sponsoring shoe and clothing drives to making blankets for soldiers stationed overseas. Visit 25 Ways We’re Giving Back for ongoing updates.
More than 8,500 volunteers have served 140,000 meals since the JUF Uptown Café opened its doors in 1998. The Uptown Café is open three days a week for dinner and on Sundays for brunch. Learn more about JUF Uptown Café.
The employees of Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. are gearing up to help feed some of the 678,000 Cook County residents served by Greater Chicago Food Depository every year.
Chuhak & Tecson will do a soft close of its office the afternoon of Wednesday, February 22 so firm employees can volunteer at the Food Depository. About 75 employees will spend the afternoon packing food at the Food Depository’s facility on the southwest side of Chicago. Half of the employees will remain at the firm to address client needs.
“We’re so thankful that Chuhak and Tecson has chosen to celebrate its anniversary by volunteering at the Greater Chicago Food Depository,” said Kate Maehr, executive director and CEO of the Greater Chicago Food Depository. “Volunteer support is especially important as we continue to see a high level of need in the community.”
The Food Depository day constitutes the third and largest project in Chuhak & Tecson’s “25 Ways to Give Back” program. In celebration of its silver anniversary, the firm has launched a yearlong community service initiative in which firm employees participate in 25 projects assisting those in need. Chuhak & Tecson is encouraging the greater Chicago community to join its efforts in making 2012 a year of service.
Principal Daniel Fumagalli serves on Chuhak & Tecson’s 25th anniversary committee and feels the Food Depository is a very appropriate partner for the firm’s yearlong community service initiative.
“Chuhak & Tecson is a homegrown firm that has always had a special connection with Chicago,” Fumagalli said. “Our ‘25 Ways to Give Back’ theme very much represents our firm’s can-do spirit, and our day at the Food Depository is a fitting way for us to give back to a city that has been our home for so long.”
Greater Chicago Food Depository distributes food to 678,000 people every year through a network of 650 food pantries, shelters and soup kitchens. In addition to feeding the hungry, the Food Depository conducts training programs aimed at helping individuals and families break their cycles of poverty. Learn more about Greater Chicago Food Depository.
Chuhak & Tecson’s “25 Ways to Give Back” program encompasses a variety of service projects, including serving meals to the homeless, sponsoring clothing drives and making blankets for soldiers stationed overseas. Visit 25 Ways We’re Giving Back for ongoing updates.
Attorneys Mitchell Feinberg and Elizabeth Walder will hold an estate planning and immigration seminar titled Step by Step: The Importance of Maintaining Permanent Residence and Protecting Your Assets from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Arlington Heights. The workshop is sponsored by the law firms of Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. and Immigration Law Associates, P.C. Registration is free.
Focused on issues that pertain to the Japanese immigrant community, seminar topics will include a review of U.S. citizenship, the importance of estate planning for new immigrants and estate planning benefits for U.S. citizens.
Feinberg, a principal in the estate planning and asset protection group at Chuhak & Tecson, represents clients in all aspects of probate, trust and guardianship administration. Walder, president of Immigration Law Associates, represents individuals, employers and organizations in matters arising under U.S. immigration laws.
Seminar materials will be available in both Japanese and English. Please register by Wednesday, February 22 to Aiko Kurita at 847-763-8500 or akurita@immig-chicago.com.
Venue Information
DoubleTree Hotel (Oakwood Room)
75 W. Algonquin Road
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. kicked off its “25 Ways to Give Back” program in January with a Jeans Day to benefit Chicago Legal Clinic.
On Jeans Days, employees who contribute to a selected not-for-profit organization can wear denim to the office. Collectively, firm employees donated $640 to CLC, which provides legal services to the working poor and disadvantaged. A Chuhak & Tecson principal matched the contributions, resulting in a $1,280 total donation to CLC.
After learning of Chuhak & Tecson’s contribution, Edward Grossman, executive director of CLC, contacted the organization’s board members asking them to consider similar fundraising activities at their own companies. This ripple effect supports Chuhak & Tecson’s 25th anniversary mission to inspire others in making 2012 a year of community service.
In celebration of its silver anniversary, Chuhak & Tecson employees are participating in 25 service projects assisting those in need. Projects include everything from serving meals to the homeless, to sponsoring shoe and clothing drives, to making blankets for soldiers stationed overseas. Visit 25 Ways We’re Giving Back for ongoing updates.
Chuhak & Tecson president Andy Tecson has been selected as a 2012 Seeds of Hope Award recipient.
The award recognizes individuals who have dedicated themselves to serving others through health, hope and healing. It is distributed by Wheat Ridge Ministries, a not-for-profit organization that helps fund health and human care initiatives. Tecson, an accomplished jazz musician, will receive the award at a benefit dinner on March 3.
“The Seeds of Hope Award is presented each year to individuals who are models of Christian service,” said Dr. Richard Herman, president of Wheat Ridge Ministries. “Andy has used his gifts and talents in so many ways to God’s glory; using his legal skills to assist people in need and his musical ability to praise and worship God.”
Community service is an integral part of life for Tecson, who concentrates his legal practice in healthcare and corporate work. Tecson plays tenor and soprano sax with the band ChurchJazz, and also composes most of the group’s music. ChurchJazz regularly performs at churches throughout the nation—often as part of a fundraising initiative for various foundations and not-for-profit organizations. Tecson also has served as a member of the board of directors of 10 not-for-profit charitable organizations.
“I am truly honored to have been selected as a Seeds of Hope award recipient,” Tecson said. “The award serves as a reminder of the health, hope and healing we can bring to others by dedicating ourselves to serving in Christ’s name.”
The Seeds of Hope Award has been given to 115 individuals since its creation in 1994. All proceeds from this year’s benefit dinner will go to the Joshua Grant Program, which provides funding to Lutheran-affiliated congregations across Chicagoland. For more information, please visit wheatridge.org.
Got sole?
Chuhak & Tecson does! As part of its “25 Ways to Give Back” program, the Chicago-based law firm is partnering with Soles4Souls, a not-for-profit organization that distributes shoes to people in need around the world.
From today through Friday, February 10, Chuhak & Tecson is collecting all types of new and gently used shoes, from sneakers to dress heels to flip flops. Property manager Tishman Speyer has joined in the effort by placing a collection box in Leather Care Shoe Repair, on the lower level of 30 S. Wacker Drive, where Chuhak & Tecson is located.
The Soles4Souls shoe collection serves as the second activity in Chuhak & Tecson’s yearlong community service initiative. In celebration of its 25th anniversary, firm employees are participating in 25 service projects assisting those in need. Projects include everything from serving meals to the homeless, to sponsoring shoe and clothing drives, to volunteering at a special needs school. Visit 25 Ways We’re Giving Back for ongoing updates.
To date, Soles4Souls has distributed over 16 million pairs of shoes to people worldwide. Discover how you can help make a difference at Soles4Souls.org.
Community service has always been a hallmark of Chuhak & Tecson, P.C., and this year the firm is celebrating its Silver Anniversary—by giving back to the community. In tribute to its clients and friends, the firm has kicked off a year-long service initiative that reflects its commitment to the people and communities of Chicagoland.
“We are celebrating our 25th anniversary thanks to the hard work and dedication of our employees over the last quarter century, and the support we have received from the entire Chicago community,” said Andy Tecson, president and a founding member of Chuhak & Tecson. “It’s an honor that we have been able to serve our clients’ needs for 25 years, and we look forward to the next 25.”
Community service has been a core value of Chuhak & Tecson since it opened its doors in 1987 with 11 attorneys, their legal assistants, and a goal of providing exceptional legal services and responsible community leadership. The firm has grown 600 percent since then and now employs 65 attorneys and 75 staff members, including a number of the founding members.
Chuhak & Tecson employees volunteer for or contribute to not-for-profit organizations on a regular basis, and community service serves as a central component of the firm’s 25th anniversary celebration. Through Chuhak & Tecson’s yearlong service initiative, titled “25 Ways to Give Back,” firm employees will participate in 25 service projects assisting those in need. Project ideas were submitted and selected by Chuhak & Tecson employees, with a goal of completing an average of two projects per month.
The firm selected a diverse range of community service activities designed to enable all employees to contribute throughout the year. Projects include everything from serving meals to the homeless, to sponsoring clothing drives, to volunteering at a special needs school. More than 100 employees are expected to participate in the firm’s largest service project—packing food at the Greater Chicago Food Depository on February 22.
“We’re excited to roll up our sleeves and get involved in so many unique community service activities,” said principal Adam Moreland, who is a member of the firm’s 25th anniversary committee. “Thanks to the enthusiasm of the entire Chuhak & Tecson family, we’ll be able to reach a number of different groups in need of support—from local veterans to food pantries.”
Throughout 2012 Chuhak & Tecson will post regular updates about its community service projects on chuhak.com. Tecson encourages the community at large to join the firm in making 2012 a year of service.
“As we fulfill our commitments to these 25 service projects, we hope that others will be inspired to do the same,” Tecson said. “Working together, we can truly make a difference in the lives of those in need.”
Women who have served admirably in the defense of the United States sometimes stumble into combat of a different kind in adjusting to life after the military. Many find themselves without a roof over their heads or the hope of ever having one again.
It is to these heroes that Volunteers of America of Illinois reaches out, providing avenues to stability and self-sufficiency. Women Helping Women, an after-hours networking group integrating business development with philanthropy, will salute the work of VOA at a Veterans Day Mix-and-Mingle on Thursday, Nov. 10, at Lloyd’s Chicago.
WHW Mix-and-Mingles are biannual wine and hors d’oeuvres gatherings hosted by the women attorneys at Chuhak & Tecson, P.C.—and the upcoming function, which also will feature a special Veterans Day cocktail, is a red-white-and-blue tribute to the women who have nobly served. Mix-and-Mingles offer women entrepreneurs, decision makers and potential strategic partners the opportunity to streamline their schedules by networking, developing business and working for charity, all at the same event.
Although each mixer benefits a different nonprofit organization, service projects that target women are always the focus. For the Nov. 10 event, attendees are asked to stock VOA’s Dress for Success Closet by donating items to help women veterans dress for job interviews.
Eileen Sethna, a Chuhak & Tecson principal who will give opening remarks at the event, said she is thrilled that WHW is partnering with Volunteers of America, a national organization with outreaches to the most vulnerable sectors of society.
“Their mission is exemplary,” Sethna said. “Their commitment is to do everything they can to provide hope, healing and support to people in need. They are determined not only to make a difference, but to also be a part of the solution, which I think complements and models our firm’s practices.”
Programs to assist veterans in crisis represent just one arm of VOA’s Illinois affiliate, said Michelle Comer, vice president of external relations for the local office. Other priorities include foster care for children and housing for low-income seniors.
VOA of Illinois helps veterans with job readiness classes, life skills training, peer support, and housing and employment referrals. Financial assistance is available for utility bills and other basics to help keep veteran families in their homes, Comer said.
“This is especially important to our female veterans,” she said. “They’re four times more likely to be homeless than non-veteran females, and usually they have their children with them. All of the services that we’re providing really do make a difference.”
Sethna said she finds it disheartening to know that on any given night in Chicago, 1,000 veterans are homeless and that 90 percent of homeless veterans were honorably discharged from the service. Nationwide, about five percent of that population will be women.
“Those numbers are staggering,” Sethna said. “We support the mission of VOA to help our female veterans receive the support they both need and deserve in their return to the workforce with job training and resources. Our event is a small, but we hope significant, effort to assist VOA in its mission. We are inviting our attendees to donate new or gently worn business attire, jewelry, shoes and other accessories to help outfit our women veterans for the workplace.”
Gift cards from department stores, Target and Walmart also are welcome, along with merchandise or gift cards from stores such as Bath & Body Works.
“We have a counselor who works with the female veterans, and she said a lot of times they just want to feel pretty again,” Comer said. “That’s why we’re asking for Bath & Body Works cards.”
The mixer will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at Lloyd’s Chicago, 1 S. Wacker Dr. If you would like to receive an invitation, please contact Katie Walsh at (312) 201-3447 or kwalsh@chuhak.com.
In a time when the sacrifices of military personnel are often forgotten or underappreciated, Veterans Day offers the opportunity for a grateful nation to remember.
“These,” said Comer, “are the people behind the holiday.”
Chuhak & Tecson employees teamed up recently to fight malaria across the globe.
The firm held a Jeans Day on Friday, September 23 to benefit the Clarke Cares Net for Net Project. On Jeans Days, employees who donate to the selected charity partner are allowed to wear jeans to work.
Collectively, Chuhak attorneys and staff donated more than $700 to the Net for Net Project. These funds will buy 280 malaria nets to protect families in Nigeria.
“I’m extremely grateful for the support Chuhak employees have shown toward the Net for Net Project,” said firm president Andy Tecson, who has been fundraising for the initiative since July. “It’s fantastic that Chuhak & Tecson can make a difference in so many ways to help people throughout the world.”
A number of Chuhak employees also attended a golf outing and banquet September 22 that benefitted the Net for Net Project. Clarke Cares is working to raise enough money to send 50,000 malaria nets to Nigeria.
Malaria, which is transmitted to humans through infected mosquitoes, primarily affects people living in tropical climates. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that there are between 300 and 500 million malaria cases every year, with more than a million deaths resulting from the disease. Malaria nets, which also protect against lymphatic filariasis (also known as elephantiasis), create a protective barrier at night, enabling people to sleep without the risk of becoming infected.
For more information or to donate to the fight against malaria, visit Clarke Cares Foundation at http://clarkecares.org.