Updates from Looking Glass
Looking Glass Community Services was selected for inclusion in Umpqua Bank’s new Power Partner Program which was designed to establish strategic partnerships with strong nonprofits in key markets throughout the bank’s footprint in Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho and Nevada. In addition to the $12,500 check donated by Umpqua, Looking Glass has the opportunity to receive high-level engagement opportunities with Umpqua Bank associate leaders.
On Thursday, April 11th Looking Glass staff and supporters joined other thankful groups in acknowledging and celebrating the wonderful volunteer work being done at organizations around the county. Looking Glass was honored to have had two separate volunteers to celebrate with at the United Way Volunteer of the Year Celebration at Valley River Inn. New Roads instructor Steve Nastasiuk and two representatives from the Kappa Delta Alpha Lambda sorority were both nominated in their respective categories.
The 2019 “Looking Forward, Giving Back” auction fundraiser for Looking Glass was a huge success - everyone walked away from this table a winner. The Vegas Nights themed event was well received by 250+ attendees and the funds generated by this extremely benevolent crowd of supporters will help our youth clients and programs greatly. Among many special features during the evening, Jeanne Staton was honored with the “Guiding Light” award for her years of service and support for Looking Glass.
Longtime volunteer New Roads School math teacher, Steve Nastasiuk was selected by The Register-Guard and other local community spotlight partners as the Volunteer of the Month in February and featured prominently in an article in the Sunday, February 24th issue. Looking Glass is extremely proud of Steve and so thankful for the work he does with homeless and runaway youth at New Roads School. He is very deserving of this recognition.
Over multiple visits in recent months, local graphic artist Matt Brundage, on loan from Eugene’s Imagination International Inc, spent hours with Looking Glass students at Riverfront and Center Point Schools teaching youth about drawing techniques. In addition to showing off his amazing artistic skills, Matt brought humor and fun into the classrooms at Looking Glass.
For the 11th consecutive year, Looking Glass’ Center Point School, an alternative therapeutic middle and high school, held its annual holiday breakfast gathering at The Excelsior Inn in Eugene. The staff at The Excelsior opens its doors for this private gathering and provides a steep discount to the program to allow our clients to enjoy an amazing meal and a unique experience of fine dining during the holiday season.
Travis Anthony, a local hair stylist who works out of the Sola Salon Studios on 6th Ave in Eugene, provided free haircuts for New Roads runaway & homeless youth clients on Monday December 17th for several hours. To add to the event, Papa’s Pizza on West 11th donated several pizzas providing lunch for the youth clients and various sodas were donated by Bigfoot Beverages.
Individual donors throughout Lane County showed their endless generosity through a staggering amount of Giving Tree gift donations made in the past few weeks. All tolled, gift packages donated to Looking Glass Giving Trees exceeded 600 from a variety of locations in Eugene and Springfield and the items ranges from socks and coats to cat t-shirts and bikes and everything in between. In a highly unscientific calculation, conservatively estimating each gift valued at at least $50 (plus several gift cards and some cash and checks), the total donated amount exceed $35,000 (in value of packaged items).
Looking Glass Giving Trees are up at 15 locations across Eugene and Springfield. Help a youth working to overcome life challenges by getting them a gift for the holidays. Gift wishes range from socks to coats to toys. We also have a Giving Tree cash donation fund and a generous donor match offered from Ron & Marcy Sexton and Primary Residential Mortgage.
