Human Options Holds Fall Fundraiser

New York Times best-selling author Rachel Simmons will serve as keynote speaker at Human Options’ annual fall fundraiser luncheon on Thursday, October 15 at The Westin South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa.

Best-selling author and co-founder of the Girls Leadership Institute, Simmons will address why girls struggle with the pressure to please others and how they can develop assertive communication skills and social-emotional intelligence.

Human Options brings the community together each October for National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and all proceeds will support the longstanding nonprofit’s life-changing programs that help abused women and children escape domestic violence and rebuild their lives.

Rachel Simmons is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls and The Curse of the Good Girl: Raising Authentic Girls with Courage and Confidence. As co-founder of the national nonprofit Girls Leadership Institute, she helps develop emotional intelligence, communication skills and confidence among today’s girls and young women. Simmons has appeared on Oprah and the Today Show and Odd Girl Out was adapted into an acclaimed Lifetime television movie.

Human Options Fall Fundraiser co-chairs are President/CEO of Rager Resources, Karen Rager-Takeda and CEO of Casa Teresa, Lisa Wood. The event is the last Fall Fundraiser for Human Options’ founding CEO Vivian Clecak as she announced her retirement for early 2016.

Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. and the program starts promptly at noon. Individual tickets are $250 and sponsor levels begin at $3,000 which includes a table of ten and admission for two to the VIP reception with Rachel Simmons prior to the event. Sponsors already confirmed are The Jaffe Family as title sponsor and presenting sponsors include Nancy W. Dahan and Elaine Weinberg.

The Westin South Coast Plaza is located at 686 Anton Boulevard in Costa Mesa. Contact Melissa Walker at 949.737.5242, ext. 317 for underwriting opportunities or further information or visit www.humanoptions.org.

About Human Options:

The mission of Human Options is to provide safe haven and life changing programs to help abused women, their children and families rebuild their lives, while working with the community to break the cycle of domestic violence.

Now in its 34th year, Human Options provides a full continuum of services to stop the violence – from a 24-hour hotline, emergency and transitional living programs, education and prevention presentations and trainings in the community, and low/no cost services including counseling, legal advocacy, children’s therapies, and empowerment classes, offered in six cities in the county. Individuals seeking help can call 877-854-3594.

Over 20,000 clients are served annually and independent academic research consistently verifies that 90% of their residential clients continue to be violence free one year or more after graduating from the program.

For further information about Human Options call 949.737.5242, ext. 211 or visit www.humanoptions.org.

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