Laura's House

Changing social beliefs, attitudes and behaviors that perpetuate domestic violence while creating a safe space in which to empower individuals and families affected by abuse.

This May 27, stand with Laura’s House during the Love Is campaign and help create a future rooted in healthy relationships, healing, and hope.

Our goal is to raise $50,000 to provide life-changing support for survivors of domestic violence and expand prevention education for youth and families throughout Orange County.

Even better, every donation will be doubled through a generous dollar-for-dollar matching gift up to $30,000.

Together, we can make twice the impact for survivors and our community.

Laura’s House transforms lives by providing safety, healing, and a path forward for individuals and families impacted by domestic violence. Through comprehensive services—from emergency shelter to long-term support—we empower survivors to break the cycle of abuse, rebuild independence, and create safe, healthy futures for themselves and their children.

Domestic violence remains a serious public health and safety issue affecting individuals and families across all communities. According to the CDC, more than 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in the U.S. experience contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Survivors often face long-term trauma, housing instability, financial abuse, barriers to employment, and increased risk of homelessness, while children exposed to violence may experience lasting emotional and developmental impacts.

In Orange County, the need for domestic violence services continues to exceed available resources, particularly as survivors face rising housing costs, childcare barriers, and economic instability. At the same time, Laura’s House is facing a potential 30% reduction in federal VOCA funding, a critical source of support for victim services. Private grant support is essential to sustaining lifesaving shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, and prevention services for survivors and families in 2026 and beyond.

Our primary service areas are Orange County, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego Counties and also nationwide with our 24-Hour Crisis Line and Emergency Shelter services.

Laura’s House is committed to continuous improvement—regularly evaluating our services, measuring impact, and expanding to meet evolving community needs. The sustained support of our community partners reflects the strength and effectiveness of our work, and we are proud to stand alongside those who invest in creating safer, healthier communities.

I was introduced to Laura’s House in 2012 and promptly joined the board of directors, at the invitation of Wayne Pinnell, a long time board member and committed advocate for the agency. Since my joining, I have had the privilege to meet a group of very dedicated individuals, all united by the passion they have to serve victims of domestic violence and their families. Having a young family myself, I feel particularly compelled to address the devastating impact of domestic violence not only on families, but also affecting our local communities where we live and work.  I was honored to take on the role of Board Chair in January 2017, at a very exciting time for
Laura's House , as we continue to grow and expand our capacity to serve and meet the needs of our community members.Throughout my time spent on the board, I have seen the increasing prevalence of domestic violence in the national media, affecting pop stars, sports figures and many horrific stories ending in tragedy. Laura's House has been active in breaking the silence of domestic violence since its inception in 1994, and now more than ever playing an active role both locally and nationally, uncovering the dynamics of this issue, breaking down misnomers, and making a commitment to the education and prevention of domestic violence. As just a few examples of our recent initiatives, we have taken an active role as advocates by: - Assuming leadership positions on the California State led partnership to end domestic violence (CPEDV) and being active in public policy; - Engaging in strategic corporate partnerships with national brands, to further our message to a broader audience; and - Innovating, developing and expanding programs that meet the immediate needs of our clients through various therapeutic techniques, practices, resources and education, as well as eliminating barriers such as transportation. The ability to meet these needs effectively comes from the support of generous individual and corporate donors, family foundations, civic organizations and our long-term gifts left through legacy estate planning. Laura's House is grateful for these long-time partnerships and continues to strive to ensure that funding sources are diversified and sustainable. During my tenure on the board of directors, we have achieved many important milestones, including opening a new North Orange County location, which houses our expanded Legacy Advocacy Program, as well as significantly expanding our Prevention and Education department and efforts, educating now nearly 15,000 youth in OC about teen dating abuse, red flags and the elements that make up a healthy relationship. Our Board of Directors works tirelessly to support Laura's House, through their volunteerism and service on various internal Committees, through financial support, serving on our Speakers Bureau and lending their skill sets to improve and propel the mission of Laura's House forward. At this stage in the agency's life-cycle, there are so many ways for people to get involved - from plugging in to help through the various volunteer opportunities, to service on the board of directors, to financial support. The staff and board at Laura's House can provide a wealth of information to anyone who is looking for a worthy cause with which they can share their time, talents and financial resources. I encourage you to get involved and be an active advocate and voice for those affected by domestic violence.

Laura Khouri, President, Western National Property Management