Photo courtesy of WomenShelter.

WomenShelter of Long Beach (WSLB) is celebrating 40 years of providing shelter and support services to victims of domestic violence Sunday at the Long Beach Convention Center.

The birthday celebration will feature an “elegant sit down dinner, no host bar, exciting silent auction items, opportunity drawing items, and much more,” according to a press release.

WSLB provides free crisis counseling, shelter, support groups for men and women, teen outreach, community education and resources in both English and Spanish.

The anniversary celebration will honor Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell and his wife, Kathy, The Walker Family and the Cherese Mari Laulhere Foundation.

McDonnell, who served as Long Beach police chief from 2010 until his election as sheriff in 2014, has received numerous awards for his community outreach and involvement, including an NAACP award for community outreach and safety and the medal of valor from the Los Angeles Police Department.

The Cherese Mari Laulhere Foundation provides funding and support to charities that embody the goals and visions of Cherese Laulhere, for whom the foundation is named.

Laulhere was a 21-year-old UCLA student when she died in 1996 in a bus accident in Agra, India during a study abroad program.

Since her death, the Laulhere family has supported charities through the foundation that reflect Laulhere’s dedication to enriching the lives of children, adults and families through education, medical services and the performing arts.

Sunday’s event will begin at 5:30PM and will be held in the Pacific Gallery. The general public is invited to attend and tickets start at $150 per person. Sponsorship packages are available as well.

For more information or to purchase tickets or sponsorship packages, click here.

The Long Beach Convention Center is located at 300 East Ocean Boulevard.