Updates from Looking Glass
In celebration of national PRIDE month (June), Riverfront School put together an event, dubbed Pride Fest, that was held in the school parking lot on Friday, June 6th.
“The LGBTQ2SIA+ Student Success Plan Grant (awarded by the Oregon Department of Education) gave our Looking Glass students and education staff the opportunity to plan and host "PRIDE FEST 2025" at our Riverfront High School, said Director of Inpatient and Homeless Education Ben Molin
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and U.S. Representative Val Hoyle visited the newly renovated Looking Glass Rural Program building on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. Senator Wyden, along with Senator Jeff Merkley, helped Looking Glass to secure $195,000 in Congressional Directed Spending to help with a significant portion of the expenses of renovating the new building for the rural program.
With help from private donors and two regional foundation grants (Reser Family Foundation and Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation), Looking Glass’ Riverfront School was able to purchase a brand new van for the Independent Living Program to use in support of youth clients. The new van, purchased in March of 2025, provides staff with a reliable, large vehicle to transport clients and assist with various life tasks including moving youth in and out of homes.
The resource pantry, which offers food, basic hygiene items and clothing to clients of Looking Glass Counseling Program, has expanded from the original location at 11th and High street in Eugene to additional locations at the Springfield and West Eugene counseling offices. This expansion was made possible by new grant funding provided by Lane Community Health Council, the Coquille Tribal Community Fund and the IMA Foundation.
The 2025 Looking Glass Auction Gala Fundraiser - the 25th annual such gathering - held on Saturday, APril 12th at Venue 252 in Eugene, had a Wicked/Wizard of Oz theme. The decor was plentiful and attendees (almost 300 of them) came dressed in a mix of movie themed looks and classy suits and dresses. There were lots of Glinda’s and several scarecrows, Lions, Tin Men, Dorothy’s and witches. Ceiling-spinning acrobats (Revelers Aerial Works) accompanied a fantastic live band (The Michael Allen Harrison Trio) and in the end, a huge amount of donations were given and fun was had by all.
Each quarter, the members of the Looking Glass Cultural Awareness and Equity Committee (CAEC) review nominations of staff members who have gone above and beyond their job requirements to promote cultural awareness and equity on the job. Nominations come mostly from staff peers. Then the committee randomly selects one nominee to win a $100 gift card. The random drawing winner is Carina Borealis (PEER).
National Safe Place Week, which serves to raise awareness about the Safe Place Program (a national program which brings together youth service agencies, businesses, volunteers and other community partners to help youth in crisis) is March 16th through 22nd this year. In Lane County, Looking Glass Station 7 is the Safe Place program provider. Looking Glass partners with several area businesses and agencies including LTD, all Dari Mart locations, fire stations and more. There are three fundraising events during this week at restaurants to help raise funds for this program.
In January of 2025, after months of renovations, hiring, training and preparations, Looking Glass opened it’s 2nd Regional Crisis Center (RCC) location. The Looking Glass RCC provides residential, subacute mental health treatment services for youth of all genders, ages 11 to 18. Looking Glass now offers RCC West (River Road) and RCC East (MLK Blvd).
After several years of start and stop fundraising, Looking Glass staff members and supporters gathered to celebrate the recent opening of a newly renovated building in Cottage Grove. The previous program facility was located just down the street from the new location but was roughly 4 times smaller. The larger space will allow for broader services and offerings to youth aged 11-21 in rural Lane County including laundry, showers, a large beautiful kitchen and space for on-site therapy.
When Looking Glass Housing program managers place youth in apartments around town (providing rent as well as ongoing case management), often times the youth does not have much to help setup their new dwelling. Basic items like pots and pans or dish towels or a bath mat help make a house a home. And this December SELCO helped ensure that at least the next 20 youth that are housed will have a nice kit of items to get them started.
Members from local SELCO Credit Union branches shopped for and then organized and dropped off 20 amazing “move-out kits” for these transitional living youth to utilize. Looking Glass staff members were thrilled with the donation.
The 6th annual “Socktoberfest” sock donation drive for homeless youth was again a resounding success bringing in thousands of pairs of (mostly new) socks. The New Roads outreach team hands out socks on a daily basis to unhoused youth they encounter. Socks go fast at New Roads and this annual sock drive aims to sustain us year-round (but we usually run out by summer time).
Thank you to all of our amazing donation location partners and to the generous community who donated so many wonderful socks!
