Francesca's Restaurants support Lambs Farm

Did you know you can support your community simply by eating at Francesca’s? When you dine at any Francesca’s restaurant during their Eat and Earn promotion, a portion of your bill is donated to a charitable organization in the community.

This Tuesday, March 20, all Francesca’s locations are participating in an Eat and Earn promotion to benefit Lambs Farm, a non-profit organization that helps people with developmental disabilities lead productive and happy lives. When people dine at Francesca’s and either bring in the Eat and Earn flyer about the event or mention Lambs Farm, 15% of the bill will be donated to the organization. For more information on Lambs Farm, visit www.lambsfarm.org. Enjoy a great meal and support a worthy cause by eating at Francesca's today!

For a full list of Francesca's locations, visit www.miafrancesca.com.

Charities interested in learning more about Francesca’s Restaurants Eat and Earn restaurant should contact the manager of their local Francesca’s.

Women Affected by Domestic Violence Receive Support at The Weitzman Center

In 1992, psychotherapist Dr. Susan Weitzman began working with and studying women trapped in unfortunate and violent marriages that, from the outside, seemed enviable. The domestic violence she learned about from these upscale women propelled her to open The Weitzman Center in 2001 with a mission to overcome the belief that these circumstances only affect certain populations. The 2005 CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey found that one in four women in the United States were victims of domestic violence at some point in their lives regardless of race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status. The Weitzman Center is the first organization of its kind and not only does it help those in the Chicago area, but it also has enacted national outreach programs.

As if upscale domestic abuse isn’t bad enough, many times the women affected by it lose everything they have when they try to get out. Financially they lose the support of a husband, which in turn may legally force the children away from them as well. After the marriage is over, there isn’t even a guarantee that abuse will stop. The Bureau of Justice Statistics states that separated and divorced males and females are at a greater risk of nonfatal intimate partner violence than those that are in unfortunate marriages.

Each time another victim loses her children and financial support, you have an opportunity to challenge the stereotype that upscale women are not victims of domestic violence. Thousands of women from “enviable lifestyles” are losing custody of their children and facing financial insecurity due to events and decisions that favor their partners. You can help these women by supporting the education program at The Weitzman Center through a donation. Even a small contribution of $25 makes a difference to those in need.

If you wish to contribute in honor of a friend or family member, The Weitzman Center will notify your honoree of your generous gift by card or email, whichever you desire. You can donate directly by pressing here and using PayPal to pay by credit card. You can also mail your contribution to The Weitzman Center 203 N. Wabash Ave., Ste. #2000, Chicago, Ill. 60601. The Weitzman Center is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit and all contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowable by law.

About The Weitzman Center
The Weitzman Center is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide support and information to women and families struggling against the effects of upscale abuse. Resources and education are also available to those working to help.

To learn more, visit http://www.theweitzmancenter.org/ or call (312) 444-1777.

Free Release Tuesday: Noble Fool Theatricals reaches out for donations Donate via iGive program and enjoy performances for years to come

Noble Fool Theatricals (4051 E. Main St., St. Charles, IL; 630-443-0438) team up with iGive to make donating to its organization easier. In a letter sent to their subscriber list and friends, Noble Fool reached out today, requesting that everyone pitch in and donate $25. "Your gift has life-enhancing consequences," they exclaimed and listed ten cute a la "Letterman" reasons why everyone should pitch in. Their goal is to raise $3,125 through this program or 125 individual $25 donations.

"Tickets sales only take up of portion of what it takes to run Noble Fool," said Audra Sybert, Production Manager. We participate in a number of fundraising endeavors and look for corporate sponsorships as well.

All donations for iGive are dispersed among the different areas of Noble Fool Theatricals. The money donated gives children and young adults the opportunity to attend Noble Fool Theatricals’ Performing Arts Academy through a scholarship program, is used for technological advances during the performances to make the viewer’s experience unforgettable and helps the non-profit with retention of its students and performances.

iGive is a free online program that raises funds for Noble Fool Theatricals and other charities through searching or shopping online.

Sign up for iGive at www.iGive.com for no-cost and shop online at more than 700 participating stores in the iGive network. After searching or shopping, Noble Fool Theatricals receives a check for up to 26 percent of each purchase.

About Noble Fool Theatricals
Created in 1988, Noble Fool Theatricals is a charitable non-profit organization that specializes in educating and enhancing the Fox Valley area about Theater. Its mission, as the largest non-profit theater organization in the area, is to create memorable performances through its Performing Arts Academy.

For more information on Noble Fool Theatricals call (630) 443-0438 or visit www.noblefool.org. For more information or to sign up for iGive visit, www.iGive.com.

Free Release Tuesdays at Kurman
This is part of Kurman Communications' Free Release Tuesdays series. Are you a non-profit or charity with an upcoming event? Let us help promote it with our new service, FRT- Free Release Tuesdays.

What is it? All you have to do is send us news on your upcoming event, including the details-- date/time, location, images, a link to a website, etc. We'll pick our top selections and post them on our highly-read blog! Got Buzz receives thousands of page views monthly by consumers and journalists who are looking for things to do and content to feature.

KCI is pleased to help you spread the news! Send all materials to kurmanstaff@kurman.com, and remember to follow us on Twitter @kurmanstaff.

Don't Forget about ASLF's 2nd Annual "Save the Girls" Fundraiser

Don’t forget about A Silver Lining Foundation’s (ASLF) 2nd annual “Save the Girls” fundraiser 6:30 p.m. tomorrow, May 28th at Enoteca Piattini (934 W. Webster Ave., Chicago, 773-935-8466). Enjoy a night of Italian food, drinks and prizes while raising money for the ASLF’s Buy a Mom a Mammogram program.

There’s still time to purchase tickets for $30 online or by calling (312) 345-1322. Tickets are $35 at the door. For more information on this event and Buy a Mom a Mammogram, please visit http://www.asilverliningfoundation.org/.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

A Silver Lining Foundation Hosts "Save the Girls" on May 28th

Don’t miss the 2nd annual “Save the Girls” fundraiser 6:30 p.m. May 28th at Enoteca Piattini (934 W. Webster Ave., Chicago, (773)935-8466). Enjoy great Italian food and drinks while mingling to raise money for the Buy a Mom a Mammogram program, which provides no-cost mammograms to uninsured and underinsured patients.

Attendees can also participate in a chance to win fabulous prizes in a raffle. Some raffle items include Cubs and White Sox tickets, mountain bikes and many more!

For every six guests at the Save the Girls event, one woman in Chicago will receive a potentially lifesaving mammogram.

Buy your tickets now for $30 online or at the door for $35. For more information on this event and Buy a Mom a Mammogram, please visit http://www.asilverliningfoundation.org/.

Don’t miss out on a fun night in the city for a great cause!