Women Helping Women's 10th anniversary a rousing success

For its 10th anniversary, Chuhak & Tecson’s Women Helping Women program boasted some of the best attendance numbers ever at an Oct. 22 event held at Rivers Restaurant, in support of Magdalene House Chicago.   

   

An award-winning program, Women Helping Women (WHW) is an after-hours networking group that integrates business development with philanthropy. Designed exclusively by Chuhak & Tecson’s women attorneys, the first Mix-and-Mingle was held in fall 2009. Since then, 17 not for profit organizations that support women, or women and their children, have benefited from the generosity of WHW’s guests. The 2019 non-profit partner of the recent 10th anniversary event was Magdalene House Chicago (MHC).

   

Over 175 women attended Chuhak & Tecson’s event and more than 160 household items and nearly $4,500 in monetary donations and gift cards were collected from guests. Chuhak & Tecson employees also provided contributions in the days leading up to the event. This support will benefit Magdalene House’s first-ever home in the Chicagoland area. MHC will provide an exit ramp for women who have survived sex trafficking, offering them the support they need to heal and become leaders through its Residential Housing Program.

   

“Human trafficking statistics are horrific. For instance, juvenile prostitution in Chicago often begins at 12 years old and 100% of victims have experienced violence while in the sex trade. When I brought Magdalene House’s mission to our Women Helping Women group, we all agreed it was an organization we wanted and needed to support,” said principal Loretto Kennedy.
 

Upon entering the event, guests were greeted with refreshments and a 10th anniversary-themed room, including a display reflecting the results of WHW’s year-long effort of giving back to local communities through an employee-supported effort titled 10 Ways to Give Back. 

   

“Magdalene House Chicago is fortunate to be among the organizations that Women Helping Women has partnered with over 10 years,” said MHC’s board chair Mary Lawrence. “We are overwhelmed by the generosity and support Chuhak & Tecson and the Women Helping Women group has given us.”

   

“MHC’s program emulates the successful model developed by Thistle Farms in Nashville, Tennessee, and provides women 24 months of rent-free housing and access to medical, recovery and trauma treatment. Chuhak & Tecson’s support has helped us prepare a true “home” for Chicago women who need to heal,” she said.

   

“All of our financial support originates from private sources such as the Chuhak & Tecson Women Helping Women event,” said Lawrence. “We are so grateful for the donations by Chuhak employees and their guests and their commitment to charitable organizations like Magdalene House. ”

   

MHC will be a supportive, residential community that offers women survivors the resources they need to heal from childhood wounds, maintain recovery, get physically healthy and find employment. Much like Thistle Farms, MHC will provide access to vocational training as well as support for permanent housing upon graduation from the residential program.

   

If you would like information on Chuhak & Tecson’s WHW events, contact Jane La Grassa at jlagrassa@chuhak.com.