Updates from Looking Glass
Thank you to all those who attended this year's Looking Glass auction gala fundraiser event! This year’s event had an old Hollywood Oscars theme and raised a RECORD-SETTING amount of donations for Looking Glass at-risk youth programs. With red carpets, movie-themed decor and a live jazz club band, supporters felt like members of the Hollywood elite - as they should for supporting our organization with such generosity!
National Safe Place Week, an annual promotion to raise awareness about the Safe Place Program (a nation-wide program which brings together youth service agencies, businesses, volunteers and other community partners to help youth in crisis) is March 15th through 21st 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 (67 locations in total).
During this year’s Safe Place week, Looking Glass has a fundraiser at Tacovore (530 Blair Blvd in Eugene) wherein Looking Glass will receive 10% of all sales on Wednesday, March 18th. No flyer needed.
Since forming in 2018, the Looking Glass Board of Stewards has helped support and advance fundraising and community awareness efforts in and around Lane County. The group that makes up this board has changed year to year, but the passion and dedication of the various personalities within the group have kept it focused on its mission to help improve the lives of our most vulnerable populations in our community.
The 15th annual Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures breakfast fundraiser, held at Venue 252 in Eugene, focused this year on the Looking Glass Counseling Program. A panel of Looking Glass therapists did a Q&A with emcee Mary Reilly discussing everything from trends they’re seeing in the community, different therapy strategies and services offered and advice for parents of teens. This year’s event title sponsor was Hearing Associates and co-owner and Looking Glass Board of Stewards member, Colin Welch, spoke to the attendees about the importance of supporting Looking Glass and encouraged them to donate as well.
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!
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.
