Regional Crisis Center staffers show off Giving Tree gifts, all wrapped up prior to being given to clients.
Despite the pandemic and challenges surrounding this year’s annual Giving Tree program (or maybe because of them), Looking Glass programs received an amazing amount of support and donations - enough to ensure every youth who requested them a gift covering their needs and wishes. Covid-19 may have closed a lot of the businesses that would have normally hosted physical trees and ornaments but it didn’t close the hearts of our donors. In addition to the physical gifts picked up at Valley River Center, Oakway Centre, Umpqua Bank, McKenzie Commercial and other amazing business supporters, we received thousands of dollars in restricted cash donations and dozens of Amazon wish list items.
“The generosity of this community simply blew us away this year,” Director of Marketing & Development Tyler Mack said. “We were really worried but our supporters came through big time and it was honestly one of our best years ever with this program.”
Washington Federal Bank also helped out a lot by offering a $1,500 matching offer which helped fuel a local donation collection that, in the end, exceeded $7,000.
Gift requests ranged, as they always do, from jeans and socks to stuffed unicorn animals and skateboards. Each Looking Glass program also had to change the way it distributed gifts and held holiday parties. But even a pandemic couldn’t stop the joy from spreading and the smiles on our clients faces when they opened their gifts proved the resilience of these brave youth and the power of giving.
A local family donated 9 popcorn makers to our programs in addition to an amazing check to support gift purchasing. They wanted to find a unique way to thank the staff who work so tirelessly to support our youth clients. Others reached out with cash donations or gift cards ranging from $5 to $1,000.
Thank you to all who supported and donated to Looking Glass this year. And here’s to a brighter 2021!
Below is a slideshow of photos from Looking Glass programs enjoying a truly unique giving season:
