Lori McGraw
Elijah Haven Crisis Intervention Center marks National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October. This year, October 16 is set aside as Go Purple Day in LaGrange County. Communities are encouraged to show their support by wearing purple. The LaGrange County Courthouse will be decorated with purple ribbons throughout the month to show support for domestic violence awareness.
In 2024, Elijah Haven relocated from its downtown Detroit Street location to a larger facility north of LaGrange. Kathy Dunafin, executive director of the agency, says the new location affords more privacy for clients and provides more space for the services offered by the three advocates and two therapists on staff. Also, a tenant in the building is the LaGrange County Regional Utility District.
In the United States, more than 10 million adults experience domestic violence annually. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence reports one in four women and one in ten men experience sexual violence, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime. October is designated National Domestic Violence Awareness Month annually to highlight the impact and frequency of violence in partner relationships and to create awareness of efforts being made across the country to provide services to victims, create awareness and to stop abuse.
Elijah Haven provides awareness, advocacy, assistance, and counseling, as well as safe, short-term housing for victims as needed. Other services include support groups, a children’s program, transportation and needed resources such as cell phones and basic necessities. The agency staff also advocates for individuals involved in court cases.
Recently joining the staff is Lori McGraw from LaGrange County. A graduate of Prairie Heights High School and Purdue University, she is serving area school corporations as an advocate for healthy dating relationships. McGraw visits classrooms in both middle and high school to help create awareness of signs of abuse and instruct students in ways to protect themselves and others. She has worked in the field of education as a teachers’ aide, daycare director, preschool teacher, substitute teacher and substitute bus driver.
She also taught recycling classes at area school and has worked as a bank teller and an administrator for an automobile auction company. McGraw has three grown children and two grandsons.
The agency is currently developing an Abuse Intervention Program with the goal to “help those who have harmed a partner be able to acknowledge the farm, work toward repairing the damage done and build skills to engage in strong, healthy relationships from cruelty, abuse and violence.” Registration information and a class schedule are available by calling 260-214-0868 or by email at www.abuseinterventionprogram@gmail.com
According to Dunafin, in 2024 Elijah Haven served 434 men, women and children. As of June 30, 2025, the agency had served 272 men, women and children and housed victims for 116 bed nights. In 2024, bed nights at the safe house totaled 510. The percentage of clients receiving services locally by county are LaGrange 38%; Steuben 32%; Noble 4 %, Elkhart 3% and Michigan 3%. A total of 20% of clients originated from DeKalb, Whitley, Kosciusko, Allen and Adams counties and from Texas, Iowa, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and West Virginia.
With the addition of a remote office location in Angola, EHCIC can now cover the need for protective orders and no contact order drop classes in both Steuben and LaGrange counties. The Steuben County office is located at the First Congregational Church of Christ, 314 W. Maumee Street, Angola.
Those seeking more information about the services provided by Elijah Haven Crisis Intervention Center are encouraged to stop by or call 260-463-8700.
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