Updates from Looking Glass
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.
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.
Attendees dressed in a variety of outfits for this year’s Looking Glass auction gala fundraiser, held Saturday, April 15th at Venue 252 in Eugene. This year’s theme was an 80’s dance party with lots of Back to the Future elements including a DeLorean, the infamous clock tower (complete with lightening striking the car), Marty McFly and Doc lookalikes and lots of crucial funds being raised for at-risk youth. (See two Success Story Client Videos too!)
Members of the Southtowne Rotary group assembled a new animal kennel and installed it at New Roads homeless youth drop-in center after New Roads staff requested help corralling the various pets that youth tend to bring in. Rotarians Lonny and Jantzen built the 5-unit kennel and installed it in the first week of January.
Vinnie Cowan, who has owned and operated Vinnie’s Smokin’ BBQ along with his wife Debbie since roughly 2015, has entered into an informal partnership with Looking Glass Riverfront School & Career Center in which the students will work in his food truck, parked at Riverfront every Thursday offering lunch from 11AM to 2PM, and receive paychecks from Looking Glass via a workforce readiness grant program.
“We always try and give back to our community and felt that this was a great way to offer the kids some work experience,” Vinnie explained. “And the youth workers have been great! I’m actually hoping to hire a couple of them this summer when they’re out of school.”
The 2022 Giving Tree program went extremely well for Looking Glass staff and clients. Each participating program was once again able to spoil youth and family clients who sought support to ensure holiday wishes (and basic needs) were granted. Looking Glass is extremely thankful to the community of amazing donors and the participating tree donation locations!
The 4th annual Socktoberfest sock donation drive resulted in thousands of pairs of donated socks for New Roads homeless youth program. The October-long donation drive included donation locations at all Lane County area Bi-Marts, local Windermere offices, Macy’s at Valley River Center, Heritage Bank NW, all PeaceHealth hospital locations locally and also a special drive done by the UO Softball team.
After two years of virtual breakfast events, the 10th annual Looking Glass Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures fundraiser was held in person and was a huge success. Roughly 90 people gathered for a lovely breakfast at Venue 252 in Eugene on Tuesday, November 15th in support of Looking Glass. SEE VIDEOS>>>
