Many of us go into the legal profession to make a difference -- we want to positively impact the lives of others or trigger substantive changes in the world to make it a better place to live. While I’ve been fortunate to have worked on these kinds of projects throughout my career, I’m particularly grateful for the impact I have made through Larkin Hoffman’s longtime support of Bridging.

Larkin Hoffman has been actively involved with Bridging since 1997. Bridging takes donations from the community – household items and furniture – and repurposes them to help families and individuals who are transitioning into stable housing. It is about making a house a home, helping people in our communities retain their dignity and giving families hope during a trying time.

The Firm has been honored to do various pro bono projects for Bridging over the years, participate in the annual Bedrace for Bridging, and sponsor the organization’s annual gala. Three of our shareholders have served on Bridging’s Board of Directors over the years: Peter Coyle, Dan Ballintine and, currently, myself. 

I was first introduced to the non-profit through my church. We were doing a blanket drive in partnership with Bridging. I learned about the mission and have now been involved with Bridging in some capacity – serving on a committee or their board – for nearly a decade. This work has given me the opportunity to put my faith into action and to make a tangible impact in my community. I’ve had the honor of meeting some of the individuals and families Bridging has benefited over the years. We start every board meeting hearing about the lives this organization has touched, and it gives me tremendous pride to be a part of it.  

Bridging Founder Fran Heitzman famously said, “When good people get together and do good things, then good things happen.” While Fran passed away in 2020 at the age of 94, his vision is still alive because of the amazing people who work at and volunteer with Bridging. They are passionate about what they do and are committed to serving others just like Fran did for so many years.

For Larkin Hoffman, our involvement with Bridging has been about being a good neighbor. Fran’s mission has given us an outlet to give back to our community of Bloomington for nearly 30 years. It has been incredible to see this organization expand from one location to three, expand to reduce landfill space by 14 million pounds each year and expand from an idea into a mission that has helped more than 345,000 people in our communities since 1987. Larkin Hoffman has been honored to be involved every step of the way.