Vote for Laura’s House in the 2012 Chase Community Giving Challenge!
Posted on September 11, 2012
Laura’s House is excited to be a part of the 2012 Chase Community Giving challenge! Now through September 19, you and your friends and family members can support Laura’s House by voting for us!
As part of the Chase Community Giving Challenge, the 196 charities with the most votes will share in $5 million dollars worth of grants. We want to win the $250,000 prize, but we cannot do it without your help!
We will need thousands of votes, so go to www.chasegiving.com or the Chase Community Giving Facebook app at https://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charity/view/ein/33-0621826, search for “Lauras House” (no apostrophe), and vote today!
Here is a testimonial from one of our survivors:
"Thank you for all of your help! This was a blessing in disguise. I am really happy to know there are people out there like you. I will keep in touch. I could use your prayers. I feel that I am a better person through all this. I will still recommend any body to Laura's House. It is an awesome program. I hope you guys get luckier and find some awesome people to fill up your program. Keep up the good work. People like me need people like you to help us through our struggles. I really look up to you so don't change."
You can help more individuals and families receive our help in building lives that are free of violence by voting for Laura’s House in the Chase Community Giving Challenge.
Remember, voting ends September 19, so log on today at www.chasegiving.com or https://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charity/view/ein/33-0621826, search for “Lauras House” and cast your vote!
Thank you for supporting our mission to “end the silence” of domestic violence!
Help Laura’s House When you Shop for the Holidays at Patchwork Road’s “Meaningful Marketplace”
Posted on September 7, 2012
Discounts are available on exclusive holiday merchandise, and for every purchase Laura’s House will receive 30-50% of Patchwork Road’s profits
The holiday season is just around the corner, and now is a great time to start shopping!
This year, Laura’s House is thrilled to announce a new partnership with Patchwork Road, an Orange County company that has set out to help nonprofit organizations like ours share our story and mission in a bigger way, through its “Meaningful Marketplace” for the holidays!
The “Meaningful Marketplace” currently features Patchwork Road’s Holiday Silhouette collection! These original, limited edition and exclusive products are only available through October 15 so be sure to snag them while you still can by visiting the Laura’s House store at http://shop.patchworkroad.com/collections/lauras-house.
When you purchase items from the Holiday Silhouette Collection, you will receive a discount of up to 60% off the retail price. You will also be helping Laura’s House receive 30-50% of their profit when you check out! All proceeds from our partnership with Patchwork Road will be used to fund the programs and services we offer through our Emergency Shelter and Counseling and Resource Center.
Also, don’t forget to help us spread the word about Laura’s House and our mission by sharing this link with your friends! And, if you don’t already, be sure to “like” Patchwork Road on Facebook at facebook.com/patchworkroad and tweet with them at twitter.com/patchworkroad.
Again, the original, limited edition and exclusive Holiday Silhouette Collection is only available through October 15, so logon today to take advantage of this special offer, and help Laura’s House fulfill its mission to “end the silence” of domestic violence!
Laura’s House to Celebrate “Music of the Night” at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa
Posted on August 27, 2012
Left to Right: Linda and Chad Kearns, Casey and Tim Wolin, and Aitkens with Antonia and Fiorella Cangolo.
Guests will gather on Saturday, October 6 for a “Masquerade Ball” to build awareness and raise funds to support programs and services that help individuals and families impacted by domestic violence
Ladera Ranch, Calif., Aug. 27, 2012 – More than 300 people are expected to gather at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa on Saturday, October 6, 2012 for the “Music of the Night Masquerade Ball” benefitting Laura’s House. Proceeds from the event will be used to fund the programs and services that Laura’s House provides to individuals and families impacted by domestic violence, including the Emergency Shelter, Transitional Housing, Counseling & Resource Center, Legal Advocacy, and Healthy Emotions and Attitudes in Relationships for Teens (H.E.A.R.T.), a community outreach program that educates teens on dating violence issues at local high schools and community colleges.
“Sadly, domestic violence remains prevalent throughout our community with one in four adult women affected by it, and one in five high school students reporting physical and/or sexual abuse by a dating partner,” said Margaret Bayston, CEO and Executive Director, Laura’s House. “We are grateful to the community for supporting us in our efforts to ‘end the silence of domestic violence.’ Special events like our annual gala build awareness that will change the social beliefs, attitudes and behaviors that perpetuate domestic violence, while providing the funding we need to create a safe place in which to empower individuals and families affected by abuse.”
Honorees for “Music of the Night,” include Orange County philanthropist Anne MacPherson who will be presented with a Crystal Heart Award, and Edwards LifeSciences, which will be presented with the Corporate Crystal Heart Award. MacPherson is being recognized by Laura’s House for her generous contributions to the Cornerstone Capital Campaign, a $4.5 million fundraising initiative that enabled Laura’s House to rebuild its emergency shelter, and purchase a separate faciility for the Step Ahead Transitional Housing Program for shelter graduates. Edwards LifeSciences is being honored for their spirit of philanthropy, commitment to the Laura’s House mission and dedication to assisting victims of domestic violence through their corporate giving initiatives and volunteer program.
“Music of the Night” will begin at 6:00 p.m. with a cocktail reception and silent auction featuring a one-of-a-kind child’s playhouse designed and built by Western National Group. The playhouse will be on display during the event, for viewing by attendees and interested bidders. The silent auction will also feature 200 items including exciting travel and entertainment experiences, culinary adventures, and a “Wall of Wine” offering a seemingly endless selection of top-rated wines and tasting experiences from around the world.
A dinner and program will follow the silent auction, featuring Vikki Vargas, Orange County Bureau Chief for NBC4, as this year’s Master of Ceremonies. After dinner, guests will have the opportunity to participate in a live auction, followed by dancing and musical entertainment from the Sensation Showband.
Chair for “Music of the Night” is Laura Khouri, who also currently serves as the Chair for the Laura’s House Board of Directors. Event committee members include Laura Bartz, Andrea Stephens and Denise Strini from Western National Group; Laura’s House board members Jennifer Hannigan Boyer, Linda Grace Kearns, Sandy Jacobson, Casey Wolin, Kurt Ross and his wife Lorrie; and, Cornerstone Capital Campaign Chair, Wayne Pinnell and his wife Karen.
Individual tickets for “Music of the Night Masquerade Ball” are $250 per person, ads are also available for the evening’s Tribute Journal. Table sponsorships begin at $3,500. For more information, visit www.laurashouse.org/events.
About Laura’s House Over the past eighteen years, 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.
# # #
Laura’s House Legal Department Empowers Victims of Domestic Violence
Posted on August 13, 2012
Legal Advocates at Laura’s House provide a broad range of services to victims of domestic violence who are seeking information, guidance and assistance with the restraining order process and related issues
LADERA RANCH, Calif., August 13, 2012 – Laura’s House, a non-profit organization whose mission is to change the social beliefs, attitudes and behaviors that perpetuate domestic violence while creating a safe place in which to empower individuals and families affected by abuse, provides legal services in English and Spanish to more than 300 individuals annually.
Among the services provided to clients by the Laura’s House Legal Department are intake interviews; safety planning; education on victim’s rights; registration for the State of California’s Safe at Home program; assistance in preparing and filing a domestic violence restraining order; collection of evidence, including the photographing of injuries; court transportation; court accompaniment; court direction; and referrals to community resources, emergency shelters and pro bono attorneys. The Legal Department also hosts a monthly legal clinic in partnership with the Orange County Bar Association.
“The Legal Department is committed to a collaborative approach when addressing domestic violence issues,” said Adam Dodge, a legal advocate for Laura’s House. “Our legal advocates collaborate with community and governmental agencies and serve on committees such as the OC Family Violence Council, which furthers our goal of providing a balanced response to the legal challenges that our clients may face as they build lives that are free of violence.”
Lia Chacon, a legal advocate for Laura’s House goes on to state, “Each and every client that walks through the doors of our shelter or the counseling and resource center is treated with great care and consideration, and we often will spend hours on the intake interview, discussing the various options that are available to them from a legal standpoint, providing them with resources, and creating a safety plan.”
In addition to the services offered by the Laura’s House Legal Department, Laura’s House also partners with several prominent area law firms and Law School Legal Clinics, referring clients for limited scope representation to obtain restraining orders.
“Providing our clients with a safe place to live, counseling and legal advocacy services are critical to our efforts to ‘end the silence’ of domestic violence,” said Margaret Bayston, CEO and Executive Director for Laura’s House. “I am grateful to Adam, Lia and our entire staff for their commitment and dedication to helping our clients build lives that are free of violence, through a full spectrum of programs and services we provide to the Orange County community and beyond.”
More information on the Laura’s House Legal Department is available at www.laurashouse.org/legal-services.html.
About Laura’s House
Over the past eighteen years, 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.
# # #
Laura’s House expands board of directors, adding executives from Deloitte and Rutan & Tucker
Posted on August 6, 2012
Pictured above: Barry Villines & Garett Sleichter
LADERA RANCH, Calif., Aug. 6, 2012 – Laura’s House today announced that Barry Villines, Director at Deloitte & Touche, LLP’s Orange County office, and Garett Sleichter, Partner with the Orange County office of Rutan & Tucker, LLP have recently joined its board of directors. Based in Ladera Ranch, Laura’s House is a non-profit organization whose mission is to change the social beliefs, attitudes and behaviors that perpetuate domestic violence, while creating a safe place in which to empower individuals and families affected by abuse.
“We are delighted that Barry and Garett have chosen to support Laura’s House in fulfilling its mission to end the silence of domestic violence here in Orange County,” said Margaret Bayston, CEO and Executive Director, Laura’s House. “In joining our board of directors, they are becoming part of strong, talented and diverse group of individuals, who are leading the charge in building awareness for our organization and our mission throughout the broader Orange County business community.”
About the New Board Members Barry Villines is a certified public accountant (CPA) and Director with Deloitte & Touche, LLP’s Orange County audit practice in Costa Mesa. During a career spanning 21 years, 11 of which have been spent with Deloitte, Barry has developed his expertise in real estate and health care accounting. Barry is a native of Orange County, grew up in Buena Park, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting. He and his wife Rhonda have three children, and reside in South Orange County. Actively involved in the local community, Barry has served as a board member of CalCPA Orange County/Long Beach chapter from 2006 to 2012, and on the board of Saddleback Christian Academy from 2003 to 2005.
Garett Sleichter is a partner in Rutan & Tucker’s Corporate & Securities Section, where he represents public and private clients in a variety of corporate matters including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, financial reporting and SEC compliance, corporate governance and other maters. Garett also serves as a member of the firm’s Financial Practices Group, where he represents lenders and borrowers in a broad range of financial transactions. Garett holds a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Southern California, and a Bachelor of Arts in both Economics and Communications from the University of California, San Diego. He is a member of the State Bar of California and the Orange County Bar Association. He and his wife Tracy have two children and reside in South Orange County.
The Laura’s House board of directors currently includes 17 members representing a cross-section of the Orange County business community.
About Laura’s House Over the past eighteen years, 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.
# # #