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Laura’s House & the H.E.A.R.T. Program

Posted on October 18, 2014

parentingoc — This article was originally posted on ParentingOC.com By Tyler Hardy.

**Teens Learn the Dangers of Domestic Violence.**

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Laura’s House, a local program that has made much needed strides in eliminating domestic violence in Orange County, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. A state-approved agency launched in 1994 in memory of a fatal case of abuse, Laura’s House has cared for 3,500 battered women and children and has provided services—ranging from counseling to legal assistance—to over 45,000 individuals involved in cases of domestic violence.

“In Orange County, nearly 40 percent of domestic violence emergency calls are made by children,” said Margaret Bayston, CEO and executive director of Laura’s House. “This heartbreaking statistic illustrates the serious need for the programs, education and services which Laura’s House has provided to women and their families for the past 20 years.”

One valuable service to area young people is the Healthy Emotions & Attitudes in Relationships for Teens program, simply called H.E.A.R.T. One in four teenagers is involved in physically abusive relationships in Orange County. H.E.A.R.T. is an interactive workshop that focuses on teaching teenagers about healthy dating, as well as the signs of and repercussions of being with an abusive partner.

“Dating abuse is a topic that is extremely relevant but rarely discussed between parents and their teens,” said Marissa C. Presley, prevention education specialist for Laura’s House. “Oftentimes teens are unaware of the abusive relationship they are in until they learn the red flags. That’s why Laura’s House developed H.E.A.R.T.”

The emphasis is on the variety of abuse. From possessive behavior to verbal attacks to sexual coercion, H.E.A.R.T. teaches teens that although physical abuse may not be present, feelings of inadequacy, self-harming, eating disorders or substance abuse can still occur in a relationship where one person devalues the feelings and safety of the other.

In co-ed workshops, teens are taught not only how to defend themselves from dangerous relationships but also how to identify abusive patterns they themselves are exhibiting that they may not be aware of. “Our goal is to provide supportive service programs that will prepare our clients and their children to live independent and violence free lives.”

20th Anniversary Gala Raises Nearly $1.5 Million for Laura’s House

Posted on October 13, 2014

Table Setting — *Emotional Night Brings Funds To Help End Silence of Domestic Violence*

LADERA RANCH, Calif., Oct. 7, 2014 – More than 350 supporters of Laura’s House attended its annual gala *“Shall We Dance”* on Saturday, Oct. 4, in celebration of its 20^th anniversary of successfully empowering victims of domestic violence and changing lives forever. The event, held at the Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach, proved to be an emotional evening, raising nearly $1.5 million in support of the nonprofit’s mission of ending the cycle of abuse in the lives of women and their families.

Near the end of the evening, guests were stunned with a surprise announcement from Julia Argyros, speaking on behalf of the Argyros Family Foundation: “George and I arrived with the intent to donate a half million dollars. After hearing the graduate describe her experience with Laura’s House, we decided we wanted to help the organization assist even more women. So, we tore up the original check and wrote a new one for one million dollars.”

Before Argyros presented the check, a Laura’s House graduate shared her emotional story, detailing the abusive situation she came from. She described what Laura’s House had done for her and her family, which resulted in her current successful situation. In addition, a 20^th anniversary video gave guests insights into the tremendous work carried out over the past two decades. Photos and interviews with board members, staff, volunteers and donors told the story in poignant detail.

Another major gift, announced by Anne MacPherson from the Joe MacPherson Foundation, matched the first $100,000 raised from the “Rebuild A Life” portion of the program, quickly resulting in a total of $225,000.

“Our 20^th anniversary gala was a very special evening, celebrating a huge milestone, and it definitely was a great success with both unexpected major gifts and so many heartfelt donations from many more guests,” said Margaret Bayston, Laura’s House CEO and executive director. “It’s wonderful to see the community support our mission to help women move forward as they attempt to break the cycle of abuse.”

*Master of Ceremonies, NBC4 Southern California reporter Hetty Chang, Laura’s House CEO Margaret Bayston, & Julia Argyros of the Argyros Family Foundation.*

Attendees enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres as they mingled and bid on silent auction items. Master of Ceremonies, NBC4 Southern California reporter and four-time Emmy nominee Hetty Chang, welcomed guests and encouraged supporters to make a difference in the lives of families affected by domestic violence. Dinner was a lively celebration that featured a three-course gourmet meal, awards presentation, live auction and a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers-themed dance. Following dinner, guests danced the night away to music by Sensation Showband.

*Presenting Sponsors Mike Hayde and Laura Khouri (Laura also was this year’s gala chair)*

Laura Khouri, president of Western National Property Management, chaired this year’s gala and led the committee to ensure a record-setting fundraiser for Laura’s House. Khouri, who also is a Laura’s House board member, has volunteered as gala chair and has been on the committee for a number of years.

In honor of its 20^th anniversary, Laura’s House recognized two organizations that have given so much through the nonprofit’s history. Haskell & White LLP (H&W), one of the region’s largest privately held accounting firms, was presented the Crystal Heart Award for its support. H&W Managing Partner Wayne Pinnell has been the key advocate and currently is Chair of Laura’s House Board of Directors. He leads many of the nonprofit’s key initiatives, and is one of Laura’s House’s important male supporters who helps to generate awareness about domestic violence within the community. Pinnell has been a supporter of Laura’s House since 1996. The other honoree, Gibson Dunn, received the Legal Leader Award for helping spearhead the legal services program provided to Laura’s House clients.

*Daniel, Karen & Wayne Pinnell, Managing Partner at Haskell & White LLP (Wayne is Chair of Laura’s House Board of Directors)*

“I’m proud to support an organization that works to protect women and children,” said Pinnell. “Vital support, from both women and men, is needed to put an end to domestic violence and we invite you to join us on this important journey.”

On the heels of a successful fundraising event, Laura’s House will continue raising awareness – and support for its families – throughout October in honor of domestic violence awareness month. Individuals interested in supporting Laura’s House and its mission to change social beliefs, attitudes and behaviors that perpetuate domestic violence can participate by donating food, cell phones or a car, shopping at one of the Laura’s House Resale Stores, or joining the organization for its annual Canyon Country Hike and Hoedown on Oct. 25. For a complete list of ideas, visit: http://www.laurashouse.org/news/2014/10/lauras-house-31-ways-in-31-days/

This year’s Honorary Event Chair was Laura’s House advocate Donna Pickup who, with husband Dick Pickup, is co-owner of the Balboa Bay Resort. Presenting Sponsors were Laura Khouri and Michael K. Hayde, CEO and chairman of the board of Western National Group. 2014 sponsors included: The Argyros Family Foundation; Donna & Richard Pickup; Haskell & White, LLP; The Jacqueline Glass Family; Verizon Wireless; Lisa & Les Fujimoto; The Joe MacPherson; Foundation; The Thompson Foundation; Wolin Design Group; The Busch Group; Laura Feld; Frome Foundation; Gerson Bakar & Associates; Gibson,Dunn & Crutcher LLP; IHP Capital Partners; Local.com; Morgan Stanley/The Timpe Group; and Rutan & Tucker LLP.

**About Laura’s House**

The mission of Laura’s House is to change the social beliefs, attitudes and the behaviors that perpetuate domestic violence while creating a safe space to empower individuals and families affected by abuse.

In 2014, Laura’s House celebrates its 20^th anniversary serving those whose lives have been affected by domestic violence. For the past two decades, Laura’s House has provided shelter and support services to more than 4,000 battered women and children and counseling, life skills education and legal assistance to over 45,000 people. Connect with Laura’s House on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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Graduate Letters — *Emotional Night Brings Funds To Help End Silence of Domestic Violence*

LADERA RANCH, Calif., Oct. 7, 2014 – More than 350 supporters of Laura’s House attended its annual gala *“Shall We Dance”* on Saturday, Oct. 4, in celebration of its 20^th anniversary of successfully empowering victims of domestic violence and changing lives forever. The event, held at the Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach, proved to be an emotional evening, raising nearly $1.5 million in support of the nonprofit’s mission of ending the cycle of abuse in the lives of women and their families.

Near the end of the evening, guests were stunned with a surprise announcement from Julia Argyros, speaking on behalf of the Argyros Family Foundation: “George and I arrived with the intent to donate a half million dollars. After hearing the graduate describe her experience with Laura’s House, we decided we wanted to help the organization assist even more women. So, we tore up the original check and wrote a new one for one million dollars.”

Before Argyros presented the check, a Laura’s House graduate shared her emotional story, detailing the abusive situation she came from. She described what Laura’s House had done for her and her family, which resulted in her current successful situation. In addition, a 20^th anniversary video gave guests insights into the tremendous work carried out over the past two decades. Photos and interviews with board members, staff, volunteers and donors told the story in poignant detail.

Another major gift, announced by Anne MacPherson from the Joe MacPherson Foundation, matched the first $100,000 raised from the “Rebuild A Life” portion of the program, quickly resulting in a total of $225,000.

“Our 20^th anniversary gala was a very special evening, celebrating a huge milestone, and it definitely was a great success with both unexpected major gifts and so many heartfelt donations from many more guests,” said Margaret Bayston, Laura’s House CEO and executive director. “It’s wonderful to see the community support our mission to help women move forward as they attempt to break the cycle of abuse.”

*Master of Ceremonies, NBC4 Southern California reporter Hetty Chang, Laura’s House CEO Margaret Bayston, & Julia Argyros of the Argyros Family Foundation.*

Attendees enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres as they mingled and bid on silent auction items. Master of Ceremonies, NBC4 Southern California reporter and four-time Emmy nominee Hetty Chang, welcomed guests and encouraged supporters to make a difference in the lives of families affected by domestic violence. Dinner was a lively celebration that featured a three-course gourmet meal, awards presentation, live auction and a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers-themed dance. Following dinner, guests danced the night away to music by Sensation Showband.

*Presenting Sponsors Mike Hayde and Laura Khouri (Laura also was this year’s gala chair)*

Laura Khouri, president of Western National Property Management, chaired this year’s gala and led the committee to ensure a record-setting fundraiser for Laura’s House. Khouri, who also is a Laura’s House board member, has volunteered as gala chair and has been on the committee for a number of years.

In honor of its 20^th anniversary, Laura’s House recognized two organizations that have given so much through the nonprofit’s history. Haskell & White LLP (H&W), one of the region’s largest privately held accounting firms, was presented the Crystal Heart Award for its support. H&W Managing Partner Wayne Pinnell has been the key advocate and currently is Chair of Laura’s House Board of Directors. He leads many of the nonprofit’s key initiatives, and is one of Laura’s House’s important male supporters who helps to generate awareness about domestic violence within the community. Pinnell has been a supporter of Laura’s House since 1996. The other honoree, Gibson Dunn, received the Legal Leader Award for helping spearhead the legal services program provided to Laura’s House clients.

*Daniel, Karen & Wayne Pinnell, Managing Partner at Haskell & White LLP (Wayne is Chair of Laura’s House Board of Directors)*

“I’m proud to support an organization that works to protect women and children,” said Pinnell. “Vital support, from both women and men, is needed to put an end to domestic violence and we invite you to join us on this important journey.”

On the heels of a successful fundraising event, Laura’s House will continue raising awareness – and support for its families – throughout October in honor of domestic violence awareness month. Individuals interested in supporting Laura’s House and its mission to change social beliefs, attitudes and behaviors that perpetuate domestic violence can participate by donating food, cell phones or a car, shopping at one of the Laura’s House Resale Stores, or joining the organization for its annual Canyon Country Hike and Hoedown on Oct. 25. For a complete list of ideas, visit: http://www.laurashouse.org/news/2014/10/lauras-house-31-ways-in-31-days/

This year’s Honorary Event Chair was Laura’s House advocate Donna Pickup who, with husband Dick Pickup, is co-owner of the Balboa Bay Resort. Presenting Sponsors were Laura Khouri and Michael K. Hayde, CEO and chairman of the board of Western National Group. 2014 sponsors included: The Argyros Family Foundation; Donna & Richard Pickup; Haskell & White, LLP; The Jacqueline Glass Family; Verizon Wireless; Lisa & Les Fujimoto; The Joe MacPherson; Foundation; The Thompson Foundation; Wolin Design Group; The Busch Group; Laura Feld; Frome Foundation; Gerson Bakar & Associates; Gibson,Dunn & Crutcher LLP; IHP Capital Partners; Local.com; Morgan Stanley/The Timpe Group; and Rutan & Tucker LLP.

**About Laura’s House**

The mission of Laura’s House is to change the social beliefs, attitudes and the behaviors that perpetuate domestic violence while creating a safe space to empower individuals and families affected by abuse.

In 2014, Laura’s House celebrates its 20^th anniversary serving those whose lives have been affected by domestic violence. For the past two decades, Laura’s House has provided shelter and support services to more than 4,000 battered women and children and counseling, life skills education and legal assistance to over 45,000 people. Connect with Laura’s House on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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Laura's House - 31 Ways in 31 Days

Posted on October 3, 2014

LH_DV_calendar_2014 — Domestic Violence Awareness Month - October 2014 24-Hour Toll Free Hotline 866-498-1511 or 949-498-1411

Please visit our events page for the online calendar that provides direct links and resources for daily task: http://www.laurashouse.org/events

When Georgia Smiled: The Robin McGraw Revelation Foundation Makes First Grant to Laura’s House

Posted on October 1, 2014

$50,000 Grant, Funded by the Sale of McGraw’s AveryLasting Love Lip Gloss Collection, Will Support the Laura’s House Courthouse Advocacy Project

(Los Angeles, CA – September 23, 2014) – When Georgia Smiled: The Robin McGraw Revelation Foundation will award its first grant, funded by the sale of McGraw’s AveryLasting Love Lip Gloss Collection, to Laura’s House, a leading nonprofit dedicated to providing domestic violence education, prevention, shelter and counseling services to individuals and families across Southern California. The presentation will be made during a special episode of the Dr. Phil show airing Wednesday, September 24^th (check local listings).

The $50,000 grant from When Georgia Smiled will allow for the expansion of Laura’s House Legal Advocacy Program, which works to address a lack in continuity of legal services for victims of domestic violence and elder abuse in Orange County. In 2013, more than 4,000 individuals received assistance to file restraining order applications through the Domestic Violence Assistance Program (DVAP) office at the Orange County courthouse. No onsite legal advocacy services were in place to assist them after the application process, even though the needs of this population typically intensify and become more complex at this stage. This represents a countywide gap in services for thousands of victims of domestic violence and elder abuse and Laura’s House Legal Advocacy Program is specifically designed to meet this challenge, by providing continuing legal advocacy following services from the DVAP.

“The most dangerous time in the life of a battered woman is often when she attempts to leave her abuser,” notes McGraw. "I am proud to support Laura’s House in providing women and their children with the necessary services to get them through that critical time so they can live healthy, happy lives.”

“We are so honored to receive such a generous grant from The Robin McGraw Revelation Foundation,” added Margaret Bayston, CEO and executive director of Laura’s House. “The much-needed funding will help Laura’s House expand its legal advocacy project to continue helping the lives of hundreds of victims of domestic violence and elder abuse, and their children each year.”

Domestic violence is a pervasive social problem and continues to be the leading cause of injury to women nationwide. While the exact number of victims is impossible to determine, Laura’s House estimates that over 250,000 women and children are directly affected by domestic violence in Orange County alone and that this number continues to increase and is higher than the national average.

Celebrating its 20^th anniversary, Laura’s House has provided shelter and support services to nearly 4,000 battered women and children and counseling, life skills education and legal assistance to more than 40,000 persons. Today, Laura’s House continues to be the only state-approved comprehensive domestic violence agency in South Orange County. Laura’s House operates on the philosophy that domestic violence is multi-dimensional an often cyclical in nature and must be addressed through a range of interventions. The nonprofit’s goal is to provide supportive service programs that will prepare clients and their children to live independent and violence-free lives.

Robin McGraw launched her foundation, When Georgia Smiled, in October 2013 with the announcement of the foundation’s inaugural program, The Aspire Initiative, an online domestic violence education and prevention curriculum. The program’s corresponding smartphone app has had more than 130,000 downloads and was recognized on Capitol Hill by the National Health Collaborative on Violence and Abuse as one of the two apps in 2014 most beneficial in the fight to end domestic violence.

When Georgia Smiled is funded, in large part, by the sale of select Robin McGraw Revelation products whose total net profits directly benefit the Foundation and its domestic violence programs. The AveryLasting Love Lip Gloss Collection, a four-shade collection of lipglosses that debuted in the summer of 2014, was the first of such product lines, and its sales have directly resulted in this grant.

About Laura’s House

The mission of Laura’s House is to change the social beliefs, attitudes and the behaviors that perpetuate domestic violence while creating a safe space to empower individuals and families affected by abuse.

In 2014, Laura’s House celebrates its 20^th anniversary serving those whose lives have been affected by domestic violence. For the past two decades, Laura’s House has provided shelter and support services to more than 4,000 battered women and children and counseling, life skills education and legal assistance to over 45,000 people. Connect with Laura’s House on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

About When Georgia Smiled

When Georgia Smiled: The Robin McGraw Revelation Foundation creates and advances programs that help women and children, especially those affected by domestic violence, live healthy, safe, and joy-filled lives. For more information, visit www.WhenGeorgiaSmiled.org.

About Robin McGraw

Robin McGraw is a bestselling author, television personality, philanthropist and entrepreneur. She is featured daily on Dr. Phil, where she is a familiar face and friendly voice to the audience, speaking often to issues that affect women. Robin has worked for many years with a variety of philanthropic causes that serve to improve the lives of women and children. Robin was recently named the National Celebrity Spokesperson for the Girl Scouts of the USA. She is also a National Spokesperson for C.A.S.A. (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children). Robin is a board member of The Dr. Phil Foundation, and a member of the American Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet. Robin has been recognized for her work in philanthropy with awards such as the Heart of Gold Award by the Starlight Starbright Foundation and the Big Heart Award by the Westside Children's Center. She is a sought-after public speaker and has appeared on a variety of broadcast programs. She is the author of two #1 New York Times bestselling books: Inside My Heart: Choosing to Live with Passion and Purpose and What’s Age Got To Do With It? In April 2014, Robin launched her purpose-driven lifestyle brand, Robin McGraw Revelation. Connect with Robin McGraw Revelation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Andrea McCallister Laura’s House amccallister@laurashouse.org

Dawn Mead HKA Inc. Marketing Communications dawn@hkamarcom.com

Anne Bradford Robin McGraw Revelation anne.bradford@robinmcgrawrevelation.com

Canyon Country Hike & Hoedown to Benefit Laura's House

Posted on September 18, 2014

News

Laura’s House & the H.E.A.R.T. Program

20th Anniversary Gala Raises Nearly $1.5 Million for Laura’s House

Laura's House - 31 Ways in 31 Days

When Georgia Smiled: The Robin McGraw Revelation Foundation Makes First Grant to Laura’s House

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Canyon Country Hike & Hoedown to Benefit Laura's House

Welcome to Laura's House