Elegance met empathy at Options Community Services’ (OCS) annual High Fashion & High Tea fundraiser, held on October 5, 2025, at The Empress Palace Ballroom in Surrey. The afternoon blended couture, community, and compassion to support affordable housing and local empowerment initiatives.

Guests arrived dressed to impress, enjoying an afternoon of high tea, live entertainment, and a dynamic runway show featuring both South Asian and Westerninspired collections.

Hosted by well-known community personalities, the event sparkled with laughter, applause, and spirited bidding during the live auction.

By the close of the event, High Fashion & High Tea had raised over $350,000 to fund OCS’s next affordable housing project. The funds will help develop new, inclusive homes inspired by OCS’s successful Habitat@81st initiative, a mixed-income community that provides safe and affordable living for families, seniors, refugees, and individuals overcoming hardship.

For OCS, the event represented far more than fashion. Every contribution supports programs that help residents thrive, from counselling and childcare to employment services and crisis intervention.

The fundraiser embodies the organization’s philosophy of “helping people help themselves,” ensuring that each initiative strengthens both individuals and the wider community.

Operating across Surrey, Delta, White Rock, and Langley, OCS delivers more than 80 programs that reach thousands of people each year. Its work spans housing, youth development, family supports, and community integration.

Events like High Fashion & High Tea play a vital role in sustaining these efforts, turning generosity into tangible change and hope.

As the final teacups were raised and the applause filled the ballroom, one thing was clear: when fashion meets purpose, the impact goes far beyond the runway.