Mrs. Smith, the teacher who inquired about our race, views Run Home Chicago as a opportunistic event to raise awareness about homelessness and its invasive impact on children in the classroom. Having taught in a Chicago Public School for the past 5 years, Mrs. Smith has had first hand experience with homeless students who needed help in gathering school supplies and fees for class field trips. It was one instance, however, where she came to realize the harsh realities of the effects of homelessness when she saw one of her former students on the street, asking for change at an intersection 6 blocks from the school. Even though Mrs. Smith had previously taught this child, she was never aware of the student’s unstable home situation and that they had no place to complete research and homework assignments– this is when she knew something had to be done.

Mrs. Smith is approaching this challenge by effecting change within her own school community, especially given the particular circumstances of the school in which she teaches. She reported that the social makeup of her particular school is 98% African-American where only 55% of the students meet or exceed Illinois Learning Standards. Mrs. Smith also aptly pointed out that her local Chicago public school was merely reflecting the social, economic and cultural fabric of its respective neighborhood; she mentioned that this is the case with all Chicago public schools, and that each school distinctly varies from the next as a result of religious and socio-economic differences of each neighborhood.

Mrs. Smith and her colleagues are currently working towards raising awareness of the effects of homelessness on our education system by asking friends and family to donate funds to Run Home Chicago, as well as participating in the Run Home Chicago 5K race on June 10th. She explains that this race will be a personal accomplishment to all participating teachers whom at the finish line, will be satisfied to know that they completed a 5K in honor of raising awareness for a very prominent issue in not only their school, but also the city of Chicago.

*names have been changed for confidentiality

Party in the heart of River North at the RedHot Midnight Kiss red carpet charity event at Paris Club’s Studio Paris benefiting Primo Center for Women and Children in Chicago.

Event features Red Carpet, RedHot Midnight Kiss Kissing Photo Booth, and RedHot Midnight Kiss Kissing Couples Contest finale, plus a LIVE musical performance by Daughter of Man with a special guest appearance by Primo Center co-chairman Quintin E. Primo III on keyboards.

Complimentary EFFEN Vodka cocktails and appetizers will be served.

The RedHot Midnight Kiss
Valentine’s Day
February 14, 2012
7P-11P
Studio Paris
59 W. Hubbard - Chicago

With more than 25,000 views on YouTube, we have closed our online search for the best kissers in Chicago. The top three YouTube kissing couple finalists are invited to join us at Studio Paris to perform their best kiss on-stage. Plus! Five lucky Midnight Kissing Couple ticket buyers have a chance to join the contest when their names are drawn on Valentine’s Day night. Those five couples, plus our YouTube finalists will compete in a three-round elimination kissing contest.

Grand prize: A romantic weekend for two, including coach airfare, at the Ritz-Carlton on South Beach in Miami.
Second place prize: A romantic overnight stay for two with breakfast in bed at the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago and dinner for two at Pelago.
Third place prize: $100.00 gift certificate at Francesca’s on Chestnut.

Tickets

$50 - One general admission ticket, includes walking the red carpet, have your photo taken in the RedHot Midnight Kiss Kissing Booth, 2 EFFEN Vodka cocktails and free appetizers.

$150 - Two VIP tickets, includes walking the Red Carpet, having your photo taken in the RedHot Midnight Kiss Kissing Booth, complimentary EFFEN Vodka cocktails, free appetizers, plus optional entrance into the RedHot Midnight Kiss Kissing Couples contest. Grand prize for two includes airline tickets and a romantic weekend for two at the Ritz Carlton in Miami. Second Place wins a romantic overnight stay for two at the Ritz Carlton Chicago with breakfast in bed and dinner for two at Pelago Restaurant.

$500 - Six VIP tickets with table service, including walking the red carpet, have your photo taken in the RedHot Midnight Kiss Kissing Booth, complimentary EFFEN Vodka cocktails, free appetizers, plus optional entrance into the RedHot Midnight Kiss Kissing Couples contest. Grand prize for two includes airline tickets and a romantic weekend for two at the Ritz Carlton in Miami. Second Place wins a romantic overnight stay for two at the Ritz Carlton Chicago with breakfast in bed and dinner for two at Pelago Restaurant.

Click here to buy tickets at FanFueled.com.

Sponsors: Blitz Group, Capri Capital Partners, George Gook, Geometric Media, Crain’s, CS Magazine, eDrop-Off, EFFEN Vodka, Francesca’s on Chestnut, High School Football America, 103.5 KISS-FM, Leo Burnett, NBC 5 Chicago, Overnight Films, Pagliuco Design, Pelago, Ritz Carlton - Chicago, Smart Water, Vitamin Water and Yelp

Event Chairs: Trish Hoffman and Jeff Fisher

Host Committee: Christine Achre, Ryan Anthony, Deb Brown, Kimberly Brown, Shelley & Keith Cooper, Susan & Joe Credle, Susan & Brian Fargo, Stephanie Castagnier, Dr. Joyce Kocher, Ingrida Latoza, Leslie Fields’ Neland, Drs. Leslie & John McClellan, Heather & Kenny Mitchell, Jared Melman, RJ Melman, Julie Nash, Karen & Michael Pagliuco, Diane & Quintin Primo, Allegra Rosberg, Jessica & David Ruttenberg, Erin Shakoor, Kristian & Paul Stewart and Betsy Whitlow, Dana Orr Williams, Sandor Williams.

eDrop-Off will hold a special Warehouse Sale where shoppers can fill a bag of gently used designer goods for just $20! Their will be thousands of items with great finds, including Ferragamo shoes, Ralph Lauren jackets, Theory dresses and much, much more!

In addition to the fundraiser, Primo Center moms will receive a beauty makeover from eDrop-Off.

“We can’t thank eDrop-off enough for considering our moms for makeovers, plus their generous financial donation from the Warehouse Garage Sale,” said Trish Hoffman, a member of the Primo Center’s Board of Trustees. “Every day at the Primo Center, we strive to make our moms and their children feel special, so it means a lot that our moms will have the opportunity to look as special as they’ll feel when they will receive beauty makeovers.”

About the Primo Center for Women and Children - Located in the West Garfield neighborhood of Chicago, PCWC is a non-profit, 501 (c) (3), interim shelter that provides a safe, healthy and positive environment for homeless women and their children. In addition to providing shelter, a primary goal is to offer wraparound services to empower families to ultimately break the cycle of poverty. The center’s “LessHomeless” campaign is creating effective solutions to bring an end to family homelessness. For more information, please visit our website at www.primocenter.org.

About eDrop-Off - eDrop-Off is a Chicago based company that provides luxury consignment services to style savvy men and women. Specializing in reselling authentic designer clothing, handbags, shoes, jewelry, and accessories since 2004, eDrop Off has recycled nearly 200,000 lbs. of clothing for over 1,500 consignors across the country. Through an extensive knowledge of the luxury marketplace and impeccable customer service, eDrop-Off has earned a reputable power seller status on online, with over 150,000 successful transactions.

Purchase $100 VIP tickets for the event on June 11th to be in the TV judging-area for the night.  Our celebrity judges will be choosing Chicago’s top kissing couple as part of the television show that will showcase the Primo Center and its fundraising efforts during tough economic times.  The VIP package also includes a walk down the red carpet while the TV cameras capture all of the action outside of Detention nightclub at 9 West Division Street in Chicago.

Want to have a role on the show?

Go to FanFueled.com to purchase $20** chances to be on the show!

FanFueled.com is your spot to buy the ticket that’s right for your budget.  General admission tickets are priced at $25.

**NOTE: The $20 purchase for your chance to win a role on the television show is not a ticket to the event. You still need to purchase a $75 ticket for admission.

Chicago, IL – May 23, 2011 – Primo Center for Women and Children board member Trish Hoffman is proud to announce that the award-winning RedHot Midnight Kiss fundraiser for the Primo Center for Women and Children will be held June 11, 2011 from 9 P.M. until 1 A.M. at Detention nightclub, located at 9 West Division Street in Chicago.

The RedHot Midnight Kiss is the winner of the 2008 Publicity Club of Chicago’s Silver Trumpet award for distinguished achievement in public relations in the field of community relations. The inaugural high-profile, VIP Red Carpet nightclub event at Bon V in Chicago featured Hollywood’s Carmen Electra and raised over $150,000 for the interim housing shelter located on the west side of Chicago.

“In these tough economic times, everyone needs to reach a little deeper to help those that are less fortunate,” said Trish Hoffman, founder of Blitz Group LLC, a boutique media strategy company, which created the fundraising event for the Primo Center for Women and Children. “It breaks my heart that homeless families are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population. As a country, we must do everything we can to make sure that every mother and her child is given the tools overcome circumstances that place them in the face of homelessness.”

“Harris Bank is honored to continue our support of the Primo Center for Women and Children,” said Judith C. Rice, Senior Vice President and Head of Community Affairs & Economic Development for Harris Bank, which is a sponsor of the RedHot Midnight Kiss. “Its work benefits the common good by providing critical assistance and awareness to homeless women and children, ultimately helping to empower them to become productive members of their communities. Sponsoring the RedHot Midnight Kiss event is an exciting way to ensure that the PCWC’s important work continues.”

“Having a sponsor like Harris Bank recognize the importance of helping our families is very important,” said Hoffman. “Harris’ support helps our center focus on the basics of housing and job placement that can break the cycle of homelessness.”

Headlining this year’s fundraiser will be the RedHot Midnight Kiss-Off, which is a competition to find America’s best kissing couple. For the past month, Hoffman and her celebrity panel of judges have been accepting 60-second video submissions from “kissing couples” on the event website at www.redhotmidnightkiss.com. The search will culminate with a LIVE Kiss-Off finale the night of the event that will be turned into a television show that will air later this year on NBC 5 in Chicago.

In addition to Harris Bank and NBC 5, other 2011 RedHot Midnight Kiss sponsors are: Ariel Investments, Blitz Group, Capri Capital Partners, CS Magazine, Crain’s Chicago Business, Elevate Your Presence, 103.5 KISS-FM, Leo Burnett, Overnight Films, Pagliuco Design, Porkchop and Yelp.

About RedHot Midnight Kiss

Created by Primo Center Board Member Trish Hoffman, the RedHot Midnight Kiss, winner of the 2008 Silver Trumpet Award from the Publicity Club of Chicago, is the summer fundraising event for the Primo Center for Women and Children. It is the sister event of the RedHot Gala, which is held every October. For more information about RedHot Midnight Kiss, please call Trish Hoffman at 312-805-4314 or check our website at www.redhotmidnightkiss.com.

Chicago, IL – Primo Center for Women and Children (“PCWC”) is pleased to announce the center has received a significant donation of products from Avlon Industries Inc.’s. The company has donated $16,000 worth of its KeraCare_®, a highly attractive hair care brand.

“When families seek shelter at the Primo Center, they often come in lacking some of the most basic essentials for grooming. We are grateful to KeraCare for filling this major gap which will immediately improve their grooming, and, most importantly, increase their sense of self-esteem and self-worth” says Christine Achre, CEO of PCWC.

PCWC will include the products in holiday baskets they provide to residents, who are currently in the program, as well as women who were formerly in the program that are still in need of assistance.

About Avlon Industries Inc. – Avlon consists of 9 fully developed departments including R&D; Marketing; Manufacturing; Education; and Test Salon. The Educational Staff, comprised of 175 technical consultants, is responsible for the proper usage of Avlon products. “When you see our motto, ‘The Science of Hair Care_®’, the words mean that our chemists have developed some of the most innovative hair care products in the world, for the multi-cultural market” says Dr. Syed, the master chemist behind Avlon’s Science of Hair Care. In addition to nationwide distribution throughout the United States, Avlon now has international customers in Canada, Western Europe, the Middle East, Caribbean, South and Central America and Africa.

About KeraCare_® – KeraCare_® has a diverse product portfolio that includes shampoos, conditioners, and styling aids that can maintain any hair style without compromising the strength and health of the hair and scalp. KeraCare_® has recently updated most of their products with gentler detergents, ingredients that are more moisturizing or have included revised preservatives that will put the highly health-conscience consumer at ease.

Black History Month Celebration
New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church
FELLOWSHIP HALL
4301 West Washington Boulevard
Chicago, IL
Saturday
February 20, 2010
3:00-5:00PM

The Black History Month celebration will honor Bishop Primo with an afternoon of remembrances from his family and friends.Noted storyteller, Mama Edie, will perform an interactive program with Primo Center mothers and their children and the members of the greater West Garfield Park community.

“I always enjoy this time of year, because I am able to celebrate my father’s legacy with others he touched over the years,” said Quintin E. Primo III, PCWC Chairman. “My father would be very proud to see how his vision has evolved from the after school program he created for neighborhood residents back in 1979. Today, more than ever, people need places like the Primo Center. It’s our job to continue to look forward like my father did to find solutions to help those in need.”

About Mama Edie
Mama Edie is a bilingual storyteller (Spanish/English), published writer, percussionist, speech/language pathologist, and voice-over artist who has provided international storytelling performances and workshops. Her stories are largely inspired by her passionate regard for her African and Native American ancestries.

Media Contacts:

Trish Hoffman 312-805-4314

Jeff Fisher 312-805-4850

Chicago, IL February 5, 2010 - Primo Center for Women and Children (PCWC) board member and award-winning volunteer Trish Hoffman has secured two unique items that are being auctioned-off on CharityBuzz.com to raise money for the center.

Bidders can go to www.charitybuzz.com to make an offer on a 7-Night stay at Villa Amanecer located in the exclusive The Bay of Dreams residential community in Baja California Sur where houses range in price from $10 million to $75 million or a personal horoscope chart reading by world-renowned astrologist Susan Miller in New York City.

Villa Amanecer is a four-suite luxury villa that boasts an unobstructed 180-degree view of the Sea of Cortez. The big package includes a 7-Night Stay with one deep sea fishing excursion, a round of golf at the famous Tom Doak course, a personal cook during the stay and transportation to-and-from the airport.

Susan Miller, who rarely does personal one-on-one sessions for the general public, will meet the lucky winner of the auction at the posh St. Regis Hotel in New York City for High Tea. Miller, who is the founder of AstrologyZone.com, has nearly six million unique readers a month on her website.

Click here to go to CharityBuzz.com page for Villa Amanecer auction.

Click here to go to CharityBuzz.com page for Susan Miller auction.

Proceeds from both auctions go to the Primo Center for Women and Children.

About Susan Miller

Susan Miller is the founder, owner and editor of AstrologyZone.com, a website she started in 1995 that now generates 18 million page views a month, and is read by 6 million unique readers each month. Susan is the author of six books, including her favorite, Planets and Possibilities (Warner Books). She is currently contributing editor to Elle (USA) and to Vogue (Japan), W (Korea) and Tempo (Turkey).

About Villa Amanecer

Villa Amanecer de los Suenos is a four-suite luxury villa that boasts an unobstructed 180-degree view of the Sea of Cortez. It is located in the Bahia de los Sue”The Bay of Dreams” the most exclusive residential community in Baja California Sur where houses range from anywhere between $10 million and $75 million. Besides its stunning natural beauty, the Bay of Dreams is known for world-class sport fishing and diving.

Chicago, IL January 6, 2010 - Christine Achre, Chief Executive Officer of the Primo Center for Women and Children (PCWC) in Chicago, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Nicole Ranttila as the center’s Chief Clinical Officer.

Dr. Ranttila, who is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and graduate of The Illinois School of Professional Psychology, has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and families. She specializes in family dynamics, mood and anxiety disorders, relationship issues, discipline, play therapy, and behavior modification.

“We are pleased to have Dr. Ranttila join our leadership team as this will allow us to raise the clinical competence of the Primo Center,” said Christine Achre. Her professional expertise in treating families will raise the level of Primo Center’s response to the issue of family homelessness in the community. This level of care will have a significant impact on the complex needs of homeless women and their children.”

“I have very much enjoyed working with the center’s fundraising arm, the RedHot board, over the last year,” said Dr. Ranttila. “My career has been dedicated to children and families and the Primo Center is a wonderful place to really make an impact on homeless families. I am very excited to formally join the Primo Center team and take part in implementing the programs to create interventions for both individuals and families.”

Dr. Ranttila is a member of ACEPT (Association of Chicagoland Externship and Practicum Training Sites), IPA (Illinois Psychological Association), and APA.  She currently serves on the Executive Committee of ACEPT as the Secretary and Treasurer and the Chairperson of the IPA Committee on Student Development and is actively working to develop an internship consortium in Illinois. In addition, Dr. Ranttila is the Associate Director of Training at Psychological Consultations where she facilitates internship and externship training for psychology graduate students. She is also an adjunct faculty member at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

Media Contacts:

Trish Hoffman 312-805-4314

Jeff Fisher 312-805-4850