The Vero Amici charity handed out a total of $18,000 to 10 community groups, including the Caldwell and West Caldwell fire departments, Caldwell Food Pantry, Caldwell-West Caldwell Recreation Department, American Legion James Caldwell Post 185 in Caldwell and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7925 in Fairfield, at its annual ceremony Monday, Nov. 11.

The group, founded in 2005 to raise money for charitable causes in the West Essex area, also gave $1,000 to the family of a Denville woman who has breast cancer. Vero Amici President Vinnie Christopher said the organization held a super 50/50 raffle, which raised $12,000, and a golf outing, which raised $15,000. The total raised for the year was $35,000.