Tasauna Murphy, Executive Director, Options Outreach & Resources, Inc. (Image by: Satearah Murphy) Options Outreach & Resources Foundation, Inc. (OOR) is hosting the Urban Fashion Show Fundraiser this Saturday evening at the Scottish Rite Temple at 6151 H Street in East Sacramento.

The fashion show will be put on by Urban Ice, an upstart fashion styling and image building warehouse that specializes in makeup, styling, hair, image and model casting.

There will be musical performances by Blaque Diamond Entertainment artists as well as appetizers, beverages and a raffle. There will also be a full bar available. All proceeds will benefit the charity.

The models and entertainers who will be present at the event have all agreed to donate their time and efforts in order to help put on this benefit fundraiser. The funds will be used in support of OOR’s youth program, targeted towards adolescents 12 to 17 years in age who reside in the Del Paso Heights neighborhood of Sacramento.

OOR Executive Director Tasauna Murphy is the dynamic force behind this inaugural event which she believes is the first of many more to come.

“I am really looking for the community to come out to support this event as a means to generate funds for OOR’s summer program that is intended to help at-risk adolescents acquire life skills, build self-esteem, and learn to work together to overcome the issues they currently face,” stated Murphy. 

OOR is a recently established grass roots organization that has gotten off to a strong start as a member of the non-profit community through the efforts of Murphy and the support of OOR’s board of directors.

OOR’s five member board of directors include Chairperson Tasha Bryant of the Sacramento Food Bank; Vice Chair Jared Coughlan, a local school teacher; Treasurer Gail Sckisel, an Immunologist  and researcher at the University of California, Davis; Secretary Janae Derden-Draper; along with member at large, Donna Bahneman, Los Rios Community College District Professor of Human Services.

Murphy extended an especially heartfelt declaration of appreciation for local community activist Ron King. 

“Ron King has been my mentor and teacher as he has shown me how to take my dreams of being of service to the community and take the necessary steps toward making them a reality,” Murphy said.

King is also a fan of Murphy and believes she will be a leader among the next generation’s grass roots community leaders.

“I will be personally providing mentorship to Ms. Murphy because I believe in the mission and goals that she has set forth,” King said.

King admires Murphy’s dedication to becoming a positive force with her vision to provide after-school activities, academic enrichment, mentoring, and to serve as a positive role model for at risk youth.

“Her goals and vision falls right in line with other 243 services providers within the grassroots collaboration that I have personally been able to work with over the past 18 years,” King said.

Murphy has seen and experienced enough difficulties in life to understand how important it is to have a system of support when times get tough. She has channeled her motivation to help others, and in 2011 earned an Associate’s Degree in Human Services from Consumes River College.

Murphy is now a social work major at California State University, Sacramento and is on track to graduate in 2013 before moving on to pursue a graduate degree.

The energetic mother of three still finds time to volunteer at the Sacramento Food Bank on occasion, even as she juggles her duties as executive director of her own organization. 

Murphy indicated that she has learned a great deal in the past few years, including experience in an internship at the Transitional Living & Community Support agency in Sacramento. 

“My eyes have been opened to just how many different populations are suffering here in Sacramento County from the lack of services,” Murphy stated.

“I am dedicating my heart and soul to making a difference in this world as I have been able to find myself with the assistance of those who helped me in my time of need,” Murphy said.

Anyone interested in obtaining tickets to attend the fundraiser this Saturday should contact Tasauna Murphy via email at Options_Outreach@yahoo.com or by telephone at (916) 519-7032. 

Editor's note: Edits were made to this article after publishing.