Fatemeh Fakhraie has been named the new president of the Ophelia’s Place Board of Directors. She first joined the board in 2020 and will serve in the role for two years.

On the corner of Fourth Avenue and Lyons Street in downtown Albany, Ophelia’s Place waits patiently to welcome youth girls, now, less than a week away.

Ophelia’s Place received a $100,000 donation from Cigna Foundation - the largest single-year grant the youth-serving nonprofit has received outside of funding from its founder.

OP Multicultural Program Coordinator Salsi Alzubaidi helped to create an alternative education system in Jordan to serve a number of refugee youth, and to help them build their sense of belonging and resiliency.

The certification gives OP Therapist Rikki Redhead a step-by-step process to work through with clients who are open to weekly family therapy.

The Natural Sprinkles Co. bakery in Albany has a motto: “Sprinkle kindness everywhere.” On Friday, owner Jolene Wilson stayed true to that motto and guided seven young girls through the process involved in decorating a dozen cupcakes and opening the business to sell them. It was part of an outreach effort by Ophelia’s Place.

Ophelia’s Place Executive Director Verna Wise Matthews and Program Director Laura Sanchez chat with Tracy Berry of Community Forum on KKNU about OP’s programs its impacts on girls and community.

Ophelia’s Place Executive Director Verna Wise Matthews presented to an Oregon State Senate sub-committee and to an Oregon House of Representatives sub-committee about how Ophelia’s Place’s programs help schools make strides against bullying in Lane and Linn Counties.

Ramping up Ophelia’s Place’s services in a community requires partnership. In this case, the Albany Historic Carousel and Museum provided space and carousel rides to girls who stopped by our event to create vision boards for the new school year. Take a look at the wonderful news coverage provided by the Albany Democrat-Herald.

It began when the Junction City Soroptimists reached out to Ophelia’s Place and asked us to bring our services to their community. After two years of raising donations and earning grants, the new location became a reality.

In Albany, Ophelia does not yet have her place. But supporters of the girl empowerment program are determined to create one in Albany, concentrating on individual groups in the meantime. The Albany Democrat-Herald is staying on top of the progress we’re making to open our Albany location.