Teenage Project Runway Reality TV star joins forces with local teens to support child abuse prevention in Yolo County

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA – March 31, 2016 – Join us Friday, April 15th in West Sacramento for a very special event empowering youth in Yolo County, projectPREVENTION 7. projectPREVENTION is Yolo County Children’s Alliance’s 7th Annual Fashion Show, a fundraiser benefiting child abuse prevention programs in Yolo County. Joining us this year is 16-year-old Zachary Fernandez, emerging fashion designer and 3rd Runner Up on Project Runway Junior, 1st Season. He and local Project Runway alum, Richard Hallmarq, will mentor approximately 25 local teens through a two-day ‘real world’ fashion industry experience. These teen models get a chance to interact with peers in the field and teens from other parts of the county, ask questions, network and gain professional experience, and learn about design and event production.

The event runs from 6:00pm to 9:00pm on Friday, April 15, 2016 and will be held at West Sacramento City Hall Galleria, 1110 W. Capitol Ave., West Sacramento, CA 95691. Tickets are $45 for adults; tickets for teens are discounted at $20 each.

Fashion isn’t the only area where the teens are running the show! Students of River City High School’s Bryte Garden Café, its Culinary Arts and Career Technical Education campus, will prepare and serve their culinary creations, including a signature beverage. They will also provide service support to West Sacramento’s newest eatery, Chando’s Tacos, which will serve a fresh and flavorful buffet taco bar grilled and prepared onsite. Guests can also enjoy a hosted wine bar courtesy of Clarksburg Wine Co. and Carvalho Winery.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month. Throughout the month, YCCA raises awareness around the critical issue of child abuse and neglect, educates the public on prevention, and fundraises to support our ongoing child abuse prevention programs. The campaign culminates with YCCA’s largest annual fundraiser, the fashion show. In 2014, YCCA collaborated with Project Runway contestant Timothy Westbrook to incorporate local teens in all facets of the production and thus, projectPREVENTION was born. “This event has evolved, over the last few years, into something really special that celebrates our teens,” said Yolo County Children’s Alliance Executive Director, Katie Villegas. “Finding more opportunities to include teens in the event – such as bringing in 16-year old Zachary as our Project Runway designer and utilizing the culinary skills of the Bryte Garden Café students – has been the focus of this year’s event.”

YCCA gratefully acknowledges the generosity and support of annual sponsors, such as ‘Yolo Hero’ Davis Rotary Club, ‘Children’s Champion’ Sutter Health, ‘Partner in Prevention’ Heritage Oaks Hospital, and ‘Helping Hand’ Supervisor Oscar Villegas.