About
One thing you probably know about Total Attorneys is that we have no attachment to the way things have always been done. We’re always looking for new, dynamic, exciting ways to interact with the world. You see that most often in our products and services and the way our company operates, but our goal is much bigger. We want to affect change not just in the legal industry, but anywhere it counts.
In 2008, an employee survey data placed us in the 68th percentile for philanthropic activity, and we were a little disappointed. Sure, it’s above average, but we have such an amazing pool of talented, caring people on board that we knew we could do better. We asked our employees to share their causes with us, and learned that children, social justice and international issues were three of their very large concerns.
Enter Kristen Hendricks and Purse of Hope.
When we met Kristen, she was already doing amazing things for young victims of the sex trade in Uganda. Working with one girl at a time, Purse of Hope was helping children and teenagers who had been rescued from brothels rebuild their lives. But Kristen had a vision that couldn’t be realized without help: she wanted to create a home where young victims of the sex trade could live in safety, get counseling, return to school, learn trades and have choices. We thought that was a fabulous idea, so Total Attorneys partnered with Purse of Hope to create Total Impact House.
In summer of 2009, we made that dream a reality. The Total Impact House now is home to 14 brave women who have committed to putting the past tribulations of the sex trade behind them and are now reclaiming their lives.
Within the Gulu region of Uganda, the Total Impact House has become a place of love and growth. Today, the women are flourishing in a positive environment among their peers and teachers. Their progress has further inspired us to create various fundraisers and simple communication with the women, such as video postcards with Total Attorneys staff asking questions for the women to answer.
Our next goal is to fill the remaining 14 beds that are still available.
Posts on this blog detail what is happening at the house, along with efforts in the Chicago area to support it.
See what the result has been so far at the house:
Our Total Impact team is still working hard to support other causes, but Total Impact House has a special place in our hearts because of the direct, measurable impact has had on specific lives. And it’s a perfect fit for our company because the goal is to create something new that works and has a significant impact in the short-term, then replicate that process to reach more and more people in need. That’s the way we’ve always done business.
Kristen and I agree that corporate philanthropy has to be about more than writing a check. The broader the personal involvement, the more meaningful the project is for the company, the employees and the beneficiaries of the effort. That’s why it still excites me to see Total Attorneys employees at all levels still lining up to ask Kristen how they could get more involved in the effort.
As with everything else we do, we’ll be learning as we work, testing, stepping back and reassessing and then moving forward again. We plan to share that whole process with the world. Kristen and the team in Uganda will be blogging our progress and sharing photos and videos, triumphs and frustrations.
Our greatest hope was to create a model that others can put into practice, so that what we’ve begun takes on a life of its own and spreads far beyond our efforts. We’re working hard to create a repeatable model with complete transparency so it’s clear that any large corporation, mid-sized business or partnership of small businesses can have the same kind of impact. One house at a time, we can reach a lot of people in need.
Please follow our progress, cheer us on, lend your thoughts…and start thinking about your own next move to impact our world.
Purse of Hope and Total Attorneys Partnership from Total Attorneys on Vimeo.
We are always looking for people willing to contribute.
To find out about ways to assist the Total Impact House, please contact Kelly Muir at kelly@totalimpacthouse.com and reach Sarah Widner at sarah@totalimpacthouse.com.
We can also be contacted at donations@totalimpacthouse.com and by phone at 312-753-6915.
