Updates from Looking Glass
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. This quarter’s randomly selected winner: Andrea Fadich (she/they)-Education and Behavioral Specialist at Center Point School!
After 3 years without being able to hold an in-person gathering, Looking Glass staff members came together for the “All Staff Lunch” at Venue 252 in Eugene on June 7th and handed out awards to several staff members and three Oregon Department of Health & Human Services workers. The Distinguished Services Awards were handed out to twelve staff and three community members after internal nominations were solicited. Looking Glass staff members also took this opportunity to provide a Distinguished Service Award to the agency CEO & President, Craig Opperman, who was quite surprised and moved by the honor.
The Regional Crisis Center, Looking Glass’ residential mental health treatment program for youth of all genders between ages 12 and 18, celebrated a milestone in February recognizing it’s 4-year anniversary since opening. Now the program is in the process of expanding and trying to hire more staff!
“I can't believe it's been so long since we had our first intake,” said Caitlin Peoples, RCC Clinical Director. “It's amazing that we're celebrating four years! In that time, we've served over 150 youth.”
Thanks in part to a capacity building grant awarded from Lane County (via HUD) in 2022, Looking Glass New Roads homeless youth program has expanded both its outreach team and operating hours for the drop-in center located on 7th Avenue in Eugene. The outreach team doubled in size from a staff of 4 to staff of 8 and New Roads went from providing services Monday-Friday 8:30 to 5 to now offering 7-day-a-week services from 8:30AM to 8:30PM.
Officially, the 2nd annual staff kickball tournament was held on Wednesday, July 20th at Tugman Park in Eugene - after the first year (way back in 2019) gave way to 2 years canceled by Covid. Looking Glass staff members competed from programs include the Regional Crisis Center, Homeless Youth Services, Rural Program and Adjudicated Youth Services while members of the admin staff cheered on.
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. And the randomly selected winner is Adam Todd, from the RCC. Adam has been with the agency and the RCC since February of 2020.
Looking Glass’ New Roads School Teacher, Dane Eckweiler, who started at the school for homeless youth clients of New Roads drop-in center in January of 2022, has always enjoyed helping people, particularly the challenge of helping youth who require a little more creativity in their academic approach. In early months on the job, Dane is enjoying the flexibility to help the students he works with to learn at their own pace and find subjects that interest them to help spark that passion for learning needed to keep going in the face of so many other life challenges.
