Laura’s House Honors Outstanding Volunteers Mary Bentley and Jolee Hibbard
Posted on April 23, 2013
The two women were recognized by OneOC during the 2013 “Spirit of Volunteerism” awards as being among more than 400 of Orange County’s “unsung heroes” who give of their time and treasure to local nonprofits and community organizations
Laura’s House is pleased to have celebrated the contributions of two of our amazing volunteers, Mary Bentley and Jolee Hibbard as part of the OneOC 2013 “Spirit of Volunteerism” awards!
During a luncheon held on Friday, April 19 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, Bentley and Hibbard were among 411 of Orange County’s “unsung heroes,” nominated by 168 nonprofits, community organizations and companies, for their contributions to building a stronger, more vibrant community.
Mary and Jolee were nominated by Laura’s House staff members, who had this to say about the two women:
Mary Bentley has volunteered with Laura’s House for 10 years, generously giving her time, talent and treasure at all of our sites, including the Emergency Shelter, our Corporate Offices and CRC. From serving as a Crisis Hotline volunteer, to landscaping and planting gardens at our Shelter, to preparing meals and donating food, toys and clothing, to assisting with creative special event ideas and holiday decorating, Mary has done it all! And, she often spends her own money to complete these projects. Recently, she saw a need for cabinets in our Shelter garage to store donated school and art supplies for the children of Laura's House. She contacted a builder, had plans drawn up, submitted them for our approval, and then spent $1,500 of her own funds to complete the project. This is just one of the many examples of how Mary always motivated by her passion for Laura's House and the clients we serve, truly giving selflessly. Mary’s bright disposition and willingness to assist in every aspect of the agency, makes her a standout volunteer, and she is never one to forget staff birthdays or milestones. Over the years, she has also recruited friends and family to donate their time, talent and treasures to Laura's House. Those who have worked closely with Mary have said that she is one of the warmest and most generous people that you will ever meet…she has a heart of gold!
Jolee Hibbard has been volunteering with Laura’s House since January 2012. She began serving Laura's House as volunteer with our 24-Hour Crisis Hotline, and since that time, has volunteered with all of the other departments at our Emergency Shelter. When asked how she feels about volunteering with Laura's House, Jolee responded, "The reason that I like to volunteer at Laura's House is that it makes me feel as though I am serving my community. I have been given so many gifts in my life I believe that I have a responsibility to give back." Currently, Jolee volunteers with Laura's House twice a week, despite juggling a MFT course load at Pepperdine University, and a busy life as a mom of two adorable twins. We are so lucky to have her as part of our team here at Laura's House!
Please join us in congratulating Mary and Jolee! We are grateful for their contributions, as well as those of nearly 500 volunteers who contributed more than 8,000 hours of service to Laura’s House in 2012!
Laura’s House Newsletter Spring 2013
Posted on April 22, 2013
Check out our Spring 2013 Newsletter!
In this issue:
- Letter from the Executive Director
- 2013 Events
- Ladera Ranch Pop Up Store
- Wine & Dine Event
- Dancing For a Cause – San Clemente Sunrise Rotary Event
- Ladera Ranch Grand Prix
- Freedom Run at the Ranch
- Back to School Drive
- The Hope Golf Tournament
- Laura’s House Annual Gala - Step Into the Roaring 20's
- Donate Your Cell Phone to Hopeline
- Capital Campaign Wrap Up
- The Impact of Your Monthly Gift
- Grants
- Donate Your Car
- Interested In Volunteering?
Laura’s House to Benefit from 3rd Annual San Clemente Sunrise Rotary “Dancing for a Cause”
Posted on April 9, 2013
Board member Sandy Jacobson will represent Laura’s House in the dance competition that raises money for local nonprofit organizations
LADERA RANCH, Calif., April 9, 2013 – Laura’s House, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to change the social beliefs, attitudes and behaviors that perpetuate domestic violence, while creating a safe space in which to empower individuals and families affected by abuse, today announced that it is one of five beneficiaries of the 3rd Annual “Dancing for a Cause” event, sponsored by the San Clemente Sunrise Rotary.
“Dancing for a Cause” is a semi-formal event based on the hit TV show, “Dancing with the Stars.” During the event, participants from each beneficiary organization will be paired with a professional dance partner from South Coast Dancesport. Laura’s House board member Sandy Jacobson will take to the dance floor on behalf of Laura’s House, to compete for monetary prizes and the coveted “Top Dancer” trophy. Laura’s House will receive 100% of the proceeds from the sponsorship dollars raised in support of Jacobson’s participation in the event.
Jacobson has served on the Laura’s House Board of Directors since 2011. She is a partner in Orange County office of law firm Allen Matkins, and her practice involves all aspects of real estate transactions, including acquisitions and dispositions, real estate development and leasing of office, industrial, multi-family and retail properties across the United States. Jacobson also has extensive experience in representing sellers and buyers in complex and portfolio projects involving industrial and office properties.
“I am very excited to represent Laura’s House this year in the ‘Dancing for a Cause’ event,” said Jacobson. “We are grateful to the San Clemente Sunrise Rotary clubs and for hosting the event again this year, and for providing us with an opportunity to raise the funds our organization needs to support the programs and services we provide, while building greater awareness for our efforts to end the silence of domestic violence.”
“Dancing for a Cause” will take place starting at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, May 17 at Casino San Clemente, located at 140 West Pico Avenida in San Clemente. The event will commence with a reception, photo opportunity and silent auction, followed by dinner catered by Carbonara Trattoria, the dance competition, live auction and dancing.
Other beneficiaries for the 3rd Annual “Dancing for a Cause” event include San Clemente Kiwanis; San Clemente Rotary; San Clemente Sunrise Rotary; and, San Clemente High School Cheer. Tickets to “Dancing for a Cause” are available through the San Clemente Sunrise Rotary Club for $125 each. For more information, call Larry Thomas at (949) 374-3316.
About Laura’s House For nearly two decades, Laura’s House has provided residential shelter and support services to nearly 3,500 families, and counseling, life skills education and legal assistance to over 40,000 individuals. 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 in which to empower individuals and families affected by abuse.
# # #
Images from 1st annual Dancing for a Cause
Laura’s House Releases 2012 Agency Outcomes
Posted on March 27, 2013
Through its Emergency Shelter; Transitional Housing; Counseling and Legal Services; 24-Hour Crisis Hotline; and, education and prevention programs, Laura’s House served more than 15,000 thousand women, men, teens and children during 2012
Ladera Ranch, Calif. March 26, 2013 – Laura’s House, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to change the social beliefs, attitudes and the behaviors that perpetuate domestic violence, while creating a safe space in which to empower individuals and families affected by abuse, today announced the release of its 2012 Agency Outcomes Report.
According to the report, between January 1 and December 31, 2012, Laura’s House served more than 15,000 individuals through its shelter, counseling and community outreach programs. “Over the past few years, we have seen an uptick in demand for our domestic violence shelter and counseling services,” said Margaret Bayston, CEO and Executive Director, Laura’s House. “That rise in demand is reflected in our 2012 Agency Outcomes report, which demonstrated a 27% rise in the number of women, men and children served through our Emergency Shelter program. Furthermore, during 2012, we experienced 12% year-over-year increase in the number of individuals served through our counseling and legal services, and outreach and prevention programs.”
To meet this growing demand for services, Laura’s House has taken steps to expand its capacity to serve individuals and families that are impacted by domestic violence. In 2010, the organization launched its Cornerstone Capital Campaign, which raised $4.5 million to fund the Emergency Shelter re-build project and expansion of transitional housing for shelter graduates. The Emergency Shelter Rebuild project was completed in December 2011, and the new transitional housing facility opened in February 2012. With the expansion of the Emergency Shelter and Transitional Housing programs, Laura’s House is now able to provide shelter to 175 more clients per year, representing a 93% increase in program capacity, and a 15% increase in capacity for emergency shelter services within Orange County.
“Laura’s House would not be able to assist so many individuals and families in building lives that are free of violence, if not for the help of our local community,” continued Bayston. “Not only are we grateful for the financial support we receive from individuals, corporations and foundations, we especially appreciate the contributions of our nearly 500 volunteers who contributed more than 8,000 hours of service to our organization during 2012. Additionally, attorneys representing our clients on a pro bono basis, donated more than 1,600 billable hours to those cases last year.”
For the complete 2012 Agency Outcomes Report, please click here.
About Laura’s House
For nearly two decades, Laura’s House has provided residential shelter and support services to more than 3,500 families, and counseling, life skills education and legal assistance to over 40,000 individuals. 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 in which to empower individuals and families affected by abuse.
# # #