Kappa Kappa Gamma is teaming up with the Philadelphia affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure for a new initiative that will help raise breast cancer awareness through coffee sales known as the Caring Cup.

The Caring Cup helps promote the Komen vision of a world without breast cancer through coffee sales and sampling events conducted by the women of Kappa Kappa Gamma on Villanova’s campus, at select ShopRite and Acme stores around the Philadelphia area and online.

For every one-pound bag of coffee sold, $1.50 will be donated to the Philadelphia Komen Affiliate, and $1 will go to the Kappa Kappa Gamma chapter’s foundation at Villanova.

They are also helping to promote sales among family, friends and alumni, and in doing so hope not only to raise money, but to raise awareness about the importance of early breast cancer detection, prevention and treatment.

“It is a major opportunity to raise a lot of money for the local Kappa foundation and to raise money for our philanthropy,” said Katie Talamo, Kappa Kappa Gamma’s philanthropy chair at Villanova.

Talamo’s role is to motivate the members of her chapter to raise as much money and awareness as possible.

One incentive she has created to motivate her chapter is to give a $1,000 prize to the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority member that sells the most coffee. Talamo is not only the head of philanthropy but also one of the brainchildren behind this project.

Working at the Philadelphia advertising agency Star Group this past summer, Talamo and her mother were instrumental in coming up with the idea of the Caring Cup and creating this first-of-its-kind program as a test in the Philadelphia area.

“We hope this will serve as a national model and that if we have success in Philadelphia we hope that Komen will partner with Kappa in other cities around the country,” Talamo said.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the same month as the Annual Pink Tie Ball in Philadelphia, an event held every year to help raise breast cancer awareness in the community.

Kappa Kappa Gamma’s goal is to hand over their first Caring Cup check at this annual ball. As one of the oldest women’s fraternities, founded in 1870, Kappa Kappa Gamma began its Villanova chapter, Zeta Iota in 1982.

That same year, Nancy G. Brinker promised her ill sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer.

From this promise, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation was launched. Kappa Kappa Gamma and the global breast cancer movement of Susan G. Komen hope to work together to raise even more awareness through the Caring Cup.

The Caring Cup coffee is naturally grown, certified organic coffee. It is made from 100 percent Gourmet AAA East African Arabica coffee beans grown on the small farms of the slopes of Mt. Elgon in Eastern Uganda.

The women of Kappa Kappa Gamma will be holding sampling events and selling their uniquely pink-packaged Caring Cup coffee on Villanova’s campus at the Oreo during October as a part of their Breast Cancer Awareness Week.

They also plan to sell and raise awareness during Villanova events throughout the fall and winter such as Villanova sporting events, Parents’ Weekend and Homecoming Weekend.