Updates from Looking Glass
To kick off Pride Month, Riverfront School and Career Center hosted its 2nd annual Pride Fest on Friday, June 5th, an event which brought together students, staff, families, and community members in a welcoming and inclusive environment. The Pride Fest was a celebration of diversity and the resilient LGBTQIA+ community.
Help our youth cool off and stay active this summer! Looking Glass needs your support in providing fun outdoor summer activities or admission to community events. Our youth thrive when they can take a break and have fun in the sun. You can donate through our donations page on our website or click this Amazon wish list link (https://a.co/0060V7Sl) and purchase any of the summer items directly on the Looking Glass Summer Activities Wishlist!
In early 2026, Looking Glass received another 4-year award from The Council on Accreditation (COA), which is based in New York and accredits organizations & programs in the social and human services sectors. This includes child welfare, behavioral health, community-based services, juvenile justice, military family support, and early childhood development. COA conducts a comprehensive peer-review process in which the agency’s administration, management, and service delivery are evaluated against rigorous, evidence-based standards.
At Looking Glass HYS, summer time is busy – the heat keeps our day use and overnight shelters busy with youth trying to keep cool and utilize resources. Station 7 is undergoing renovations to expand capacity - but we need more funding! New Roads is doing laundry - but we hope to do more! And important annual clothing drives are right around the corner - Braugust - Shoetember - Socktoberfest!
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). RCC East renovations were made possible with support from the Department of Human Services, the Oregon Youth Authority and PeaceHealth.
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.
"We are thrilled to once again find our agency name listed within the Top 100 Nonprofits in Oregon," said Looking Glass CEO Chad Westphal. "It is a testament to our incredible and diverse team of staff. They have worked to create and sustain a supportive team culture that is always prepared to respond to the needs of our most vulnerable community members. I am thankful for and proud of all of them."
Also check out a new VIDEO from our happy employees!
In December of 2023, Looking Glass Center Point School applied for and received funding from the 2023 EWEB Electric Mobility Community Grant to purchase an electric vehicle and charging station. Staff did a ton of research on cars and charging stations and, in the end, purchased a 2023 Kia Niro EV and Emporia charging station. Staff members mostly utilize the vehicle to run errands for school needs, including picking up food and other items for the students. The time and cost savings for Looking Glass has been extremely helpful.
Looking Glass New Roads Kitchen Remodel is underway and we need YOUR help with temporary outdoor kitchen services. Beginning in May the New Roads day program for homeless youth services will begin construction on the current kitchen to enable cooking of full meals. To-date, the New Roads staff have been without adequate ventilation and equipment to provide a full kitchen and thus meals have been quite challenging to provide 3 times per day to homeless youth.
At the annual board meeting for Looking Glass Community Services, held this year at The Graduate Hotel on Wednesday, November 1st, CEO and President Craig Opperman presented the Looking Glass Community Leadership Award to Oregon Department of Human Services Director, Fariborz Pakseresht. This year’s annual board meeting included an update on the state of the agency, by Opperman, and was hosted by board member, Mary Reilly.
