New Member Profile: Ophelia’s Place
Ophelia’s Place is a prevention-based nonprofit dedicated to empowering girl-identified youth, ages 10-18. To welcome them as new members of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, we recently spoke with them to find out more about their organization and services.
Empowered Girls Change the World
Today’s youth navigate all kinds of issues while growing up – from developing healthy relationships and friendships, media & body image, anxiety, digital/internet safety, to much more. Ophelia’s Place offers the safe space, the tools, and the support to help girl-identified youth find their resilience and their voice, and to grow into the incredible adults they’re bound to be.
Empowerment is provided through a holistic set of services, including after-school drop-in and activities, in-school presentations and girls empowerment groups, therapy available in person or virtually, and professional development for youth-serving organizations and businesses.
According to a 2021 CDC study, three out of every five teenage girls reported feeling so persistently sad or hopeless – almost every day for at least two weeks in a row – that they stopped regular activities. During the 2021-2022 school year, OP provided 1,657 therapy sessions to 130 individual youth; and empowerment groups to nearly 280 girls. Youth participated in after-school activities 1,335 times during that year.
“… I went through a lot of trauma in my young years. Ophelia’s Place was a safe and encouraging place where I felt that I belonged and felt supported. The staff and counselors there were so amazing to me … I loved the groups, and to be able to have some sort of communication with other girls my age. Ophelia’s Place was a foundation for me to finish high school, to feel like someone believed in me … so, thank you for your amazing support and I hope that your organization keeps on helping other girls like me who need to feel like someone believes in them.”
– Former Ophelia’s Place girl
Ophelia’s Place was established in 2005 when founder Rosaria Haugland recognized that early interventions in a girl’s life can provide her with the tools to achieve her potential, develop good relationships, and learn to make healthy choices. Since then, OP has grown to 20 full-time employees and several more direct service interns serving youth at our three physical locations Eugene, Junction City, and Albany. They also provide several virtual services including drop-in therapy groups and parent/daughter activities.
Ophelia’s Place is funded primarily through foundations and donations from individuals and corporate sponsorship. That support helps OP provide services to youth and families for free by a sliding fee scale, or by donation.
“I believe that Ophelia’s Place positively affects the community and teaches people that it is not only okay to be yourself, but also that it’s okay to accept things even when they’re different,” shares a current OP girl.
For more information about Ophelia’s Place, to learn how your young person can participate, or to learn how your organization can support the empowerment of girls in Lane and Linn counties, visit OpheliasPlace.net.
Ophelia’s Place is a prevention-based nonprofit organization which provides a variety of services to empower girl-identified youth. Services include after-school drop-ins, activities, therapy, in-school presentations, and professional development for youth-serving organizations and businesses.
