Paint the Blue fundraiser for Chicago Police Memorial Foundation kicks off

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A fundraiser kicked off Friday in the Beverly neighborhood benefiting the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation.

The "Paint the Town Blue" campaign is an annual initiative helping raise money for the families of fallen or seriously injured police officers. Businesses and their customers can now easily support the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation for as little as one dollar.

Close to 100 local businesses teaming up to help Chicago Police Officers and their families.

It's called Paint the Town Blue, an initiative to raise money to support families of the fallen and seriously hurt officers. It's an annual fundraiser helping both officers and their families in directly from the people they serve:

"They can show their support and help the business to support the men and women of the Chicago Police Department through the support of the memorial foundation because they not only support our families but we're the protectors," CPD Captain John Doherty. "We don't show our weakness. Maybe we should but we don't because we stand that line of good and evil and it's not easy for us to show weakness. But things happen, we are still human."

Each participating business will be supplied with stars and promotional materials. Customers can buy a blue star for $1, a silver star for $5, or a gold star for $10. Those stars are then displayed at the business for others to see.

"In the doing the right thing, there comes a lot of good," Julie Harrigan of the Original Pancake House. "The good here is you showing up and being part of this."

The proceeds will go to the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation, a non-profit helping support

families of officers badly hurt or killed in the line of duty. Among them, the family of Areanah Preston, killed while she was returning home from work last weekend.

"Now more than ever, we have to partner and support the men and women of the Chicago Police Department," Alderman Matt O'Shea said.

The campaign officially kicked off Friday, and will last two weeks.

For more information, visit cpdmemorial.org/events/paint-the-town-blue.