For the second year in a row, I was asked to photograph CASA of Cook County’s annual fundraiser that took place in September. For those unfamiliar, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children) is a non-profit organization dedicated to finding safe and loving homes for children in the foster care system who have experienced abuse and neglect. 2016 marked the organization’s 30th birthday, and I was there to capture the big celebration!

This year the event was held in the Winter Garden at The Harold Washington Library Center. Those in attendance included volunteers, sponsors, Circuit Court judges, Special Advocates, and foster children themselves. Though I am no expert on their services, it doesn’t take long to realize the impact this organization has on so many lives. The amount of growth CASA has achieved over the past year was also apparent – between 2015’s fundraiser and the one in September there has been a noticeable increase in amount of guests, speakers, auction donations, and venue size. Way to go, CASA!

The event featured a number of keynote speakers, including Circuit Court of Cook County’s Chief Judge Timothy Evans. Also, similar to last year, both a silent auction and live bidding took place. (This was one of my favorite parts of the evening – from both a personal and photographic standpoint!) Shout out to Jim Miller of Charity Auctioneer for keeping those bidding wars alive!

Also special thanks to Mark Dinglasan, Wendy Williams, and everyone else who helped make the evening such a success. Already looking forward to next year’s event!

For more information on CASA of Cook County, visit http://casacookcounty.org/

Want to get involved? Volunteer or Make a Donation

Florals: Alexine Mudawar, CASA Associate Board

Furniture: M&M Rentals

Sound and Projection: Sound Investment

Cake: Jordan’s Food of Distinction

Event Sponsors: aLawCenters.com, Allstate, DLA Piper, Don Gimble, Katalyst Technologies, The Kirch Foundation, Lana Vukolajk, Locke Lord, Mary Hasten, Quarles & Brady, Wells Fargo