Palatine Charity Raises $18,000 for Women Veterans, At-Risk Girls

C.A.T.I.F. [Celebrating All That Is Feminine], a Palatine-based charity, recently held a fundraising event at Durty Nellie's and raised $18,000 - which was in turn donated by the organization to assist women veterans, and at-risk girls.

The beneficiaries of the 5th annual Pay it Forward event, held on February 28, 2014, were at-risk teenagers who receive mentoring and leadership guidance through the Kappa Kappa Gamma Girls' Academy, in addition to women veterans who are served at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago.

"A portion of the funds we raised ($15,000) will help to fund basic necessity starter kits for women veterans as they transition into living independently into a home of their own," said Lorrene Conino, C.A.T.I.F. vice president. "We want to give these women a chance to succeed in their future by giving them their dignity and resources to get a fresh new start."

Kappa Kappa Gamma Girls' Academy has been a recipient of funds raised from previous fundraising events, and is a cause that is near and dear to C.A.T.I.F.'s goal; to empower and support young people in need of resources to help them grow into accomplished young adults," Conino said.

The Kappa Kappa Gamma Girls' Academy received a $3,000 donation from C.A.T.I.F.

Since forming in 2010, C.A.T.I.F. has raised, and donated nearly $80,000 to a wide variety of social service/non-profit organizations, including WINGS (Women in Need Growing Stronger), PHD-Society for the Preservation of Human Dignity, the Elgin Community Crisis Center, Lazarus House and Arts Refreshing the Soul, among others.

The organization, whose overall mission is to encourage and empower women and children in the Chicagoland area who are experiencing crisis, chooses beneficiary charities and non-profits who serve the same populations.

The next fundraiser sponsored by C.A.T.I.F.a family picinci, will be held in the fall of 2014. For more information, visit C.A.T.I.F. online at www.catifcharity.com.