Updates from Looking Glass
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.
The 5th annual “Socktoberfest” sock donation drive that runs the month of October each year, was a smashing success this year thanks to the generosity of community members and drive corporate sponsors. More than 20,000 pairs of socks came through, more than double the prior year’s haul! Socks are a crucial necessity for unhoused individuals and the New Roads staff often runs out of socks to hand out during the year so this annual drive has become very important.
Looking Glass Community Services has opened a new, low-barrier homeless youth shelter called the PEER Shelter (PEER stands for Persevere, Enlighten, Empower, Renew). The 24-hour accessible low-barrier shelter is for youth ages 16 – 24 years old who are unhoused or otherwise in crisis. The shelter provides youth at risk of being victimized on the streets, a safe, supervised living environment, medical care, basic needs, case management, and substance abuse and mental health treatment access to assist them in moving towards stabilization.
The 11th annual Looking Glass Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures breakfast fundraiser was held on Tuesday, October 17th at Venue 252 in Eugene and raised crucial funds for Looking Glass programs. In addition to funds, over 5,000 pairs of socks were received to help with the October-long sock donation drive (Socktoberfest) for homeless youth!
At this year’s breakfast, guests were treated to a Q&A panel of Looking Glass leaders, facilitated by Emcees Liz Kelly and Mary Reilly.
Finding affordable, safe, quality housing is a challenge for a lot of people in Eugene and broader Lane County, but especially so for youth with limited rental history and sometimes criminal history. So it is particularly special to Looking Glass when a local community member agrees to long-term rental partnerships. Austin Folnagy is the most recent example of a willing and supportive landlord who enthusiastically embraces the opportunity to rent an entire complex to Looking Glass youth.
“It’s a way to give back, for sure,” Folnagy explained. “It’s a business, for sure, but by working with Looking Glass in this way, it’s a way to do good in our community too.”
Students from Bushnell University volunteered to assist several area nonprofits and included Looking Glass in that group once again this year. The project this year utilized track athletes from Bushnell to help clean up landscaping and spread new bark at a new apartment rental complex that Looking Glass uses for transitional living clients (formerly homeless youth).
A small, but passionate group of Looking Glass supporters attended the 6th annual Hike for Hope fundraiser at the North Trailhead of Mt Pisgah on August 5 - helping raise more than $6,000 for Looking Glass programs. As they have since 2019, Hearing Associates was the title sponsor and rallied a large group of hikers.
The 2023 Riverfront High School graduation was held Thursday, June 15th at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Eugene (next door to Riverfront). Graduates shared their experiences and a UO pep band helped the attendees rock out and celebrate! This year’s keynote speaker was Rick Hamilton, recently elected to the Eugene 4J school board.
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.
