Centennial gala

Hillsides had the first of several celebrations of this centennial year at the fabled Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena on Saturday, February 23^rd.  This extraordinary gala event was a very successful event raising a record $655,000. Needless to say this was a great start to our yearlong celebrations marking 100 years of service.

The event was a combination of entertainment and testimonials that honored a number of people who have been especially dedicated to Hillsides and foster care. The testimonials that were provided by Jean Smart and Dr. Drew Pinsky were especially poignant, reminding everyone in attendance of how essential the services we offer are in transforming the lives of the children and families we serve.

This centennial is an opportunity to, once again, feature the challenges those we serve confront and how we are dedicated to being an essential resource for them.

To Liz Rusnak Arizmendi, the exceptional Chair and organizer if this event, Carrie Espinoza, the tireless director of our special events, all our Development Office staff, the legion of volunteers, our generous event sponsors and all our guests, thank you!

What follows are photos and excerpts from the press release that was issued making this great celebration.

Guests at Hillsides annual benefit, the Centennial Gala, raised $655,000 for vulnerable children and families living in Los Angeles County, far exceeding the amount raised in previous years.   On Saturday night, February 23, a sold-out crowd of more than 600 filled the ballroom of the iconic The Langham Huntington, Pasadena to celebrate the charity’s 100 years of service and to enjoy an evening of spectacular entertainment and fine dining.  

Elizabeth Rusnak Arizmendi, Rusnak Auto Group Vice President of Public Relations and chair of the event kicked off the evening by introducing the presenters who awarded Dr. Drew Pinsky of “Celebrity Rehab” fame and NBC4 Weatherman Fritz Coleman special “Hillsides Centennial” awards for all the hard work they do for the charity.  Tiffany Company of Pasadena generously donated the hand-cut crystal awards that were also given later in the evening to Emmy award-winning actress Jean Smart, comedian George Lopez, Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Marcus Allen, and Paul Rusnak, Chairman/CEO of Rusnak Auto Group.

Presenters for the honorees were Colleen Williams, NBC4 anchor, Mike Catherwood, co-host of “Loveline,” NFL football players Willie Gault and Jason David, Robert C. Smith, CEO of Allied High Tech Company, Actress Kristen Renton, and Arizmendi.

“Hillsides Centennial Gala was truly a magical evening transformed into a winter wonderland with bursts of color everywhere once the new logo was unveiled,” said Arizmendi. “The honorees were extraordinary, the entertainers were flawless, the bidders were extremely generous, and the winners were the children and families served by this exceptional organization.”

The evening was action-packed with a live auction filled with unique and exceptional opportunities and items hosted by award-winning comedian and actor, Christopher Rich.   The live auction got fast and furious when a bidding war broke out among guests for a signed Elton John band guitar, with band members Davey Johnstone and John Mahon cheering the guests on.   Guests also rushed to outbid each other for a Danube Viking River Cruise and a weekend away at The Langham with a Maserati or Bentley from Rusnak Maserati Pasadena and Bentley Pasadena, part of the Rusnak Auto Group, among other items. 

During the evening, guests were treated to an incredible line-up of talented entertainers, including Nina Fetter & The Feds jazz quartet, “Dancing with the Stars” choreographer Christian Perry and his wife, Annette, violinist Lindsey Stirling, and three-time world champion of magic Jason Latimer, who wowed the audience with his awe-inspiring sleights of hand. Other performers included Jacky Ibarra, who sang the National Anthem, DJ Herick and DJ Lezlee, and recording artists CEEJ and Suzan Brittan Gault. Local talented students included The Polytechnic School dancers, who performed as ballerinas, and along with the Mayfield Senior Dance Conservatory were a flash mob.

Toward the end of the evening, Costa thanked guests, telling them, “As people depend on us to provide unconditional support and access to programs and services that improve their lives, we rely on your unconditional support to help us impact their lives.”  He gave special thanks to the event’s major sponsors, which include Paul Rusnak, Rusnak Auto Group, Wells Fargo, Specialty Car Craft, The Walt Disney Company, Susan and Bill Noce, Bolton & Company Insurance Brokers, Marge and Sherm Telleen, THE Magazine, Susan and Bill Noce, Jacob Maarse Florists, San Antonio Winery & Maddalena Restaurant, EFX-Event Special Effects. 

The evening ending with the unveiling of Hillsides’ new logo, a colorful pinwheel, representing childhood innocence and the power to turn obstacles into opportunities. Guests were surprised by the confetti bursts in the air as  Mayfield Senior School Vocal Conservatory performed a song from Pitch Perfect.

The Centennial Gala is just one of many exciting centennial events the charity has planned throughout the year.  To learn more about upcoming events and about Hillsides, visit www.Hillsides.org.

How many people does it take…?

All of us can recall the joke about how many people it takes to change a light bulb. I recalled that opening line when I recently saw a group assembled to assess the progress of one of our residents.  As we struggled to find a meeting room large enough to accommodate all the many “stakeholders,” I asked myself the question, “How many people does it take to help a child?” The answer of course is that it takes many, all providing a different perspective important to consider in determining the long-term well-being of the child. But I am left wondering at times if indeed there may be too many people involved in the process whose agenda is more reflective of their particular viewpoint rather than the best interests of the child.

The logistics of gathering so many interested parties is daunting.  The need to satisfy so many statutory requirements while never-the-less assuring the safety and well-being of very vulnerable children often creates a quagmire that deters achieving the stated best interests of the child and family. In this kind of environment progress can be slow, demoralizing all involved.

Recently, the Los Angeles Times reported on a review that was authorized by the Board of Supervisors that was very critical of the Department of Children and Family Services. It pointed to how its byzantine regulatory and bureaucratic  structure has not only impeded providing good quality care; in some instances it has failed completely, resulting in the loss of children who fell prey to abuse and violence. DCFS takes very seriously the recommendations that have been issued as a result of the review. The Department is undergoing a significant reorganization in order to create a culture where, “the safety of children is Job One” to quote its Director Philip Browning.

That kind of leadership is essential because change comes very slowly to such a large system like that of DCFS. Social workers and other caregivers, who have been disenfranchised and traumatized by the failures of the system, are understandably reluctant to embrace anything that is a departure from their current mode of operating.

For all of us involved with providing care to children and their families, who are at greater risk of neglect and harm, we must never lose sight of what is first and foremost, the safety and well-being of the child. Somehow we must also be dedicated to loosening the grip of the organizational quicksand that easily consumes those for whom we care.

Hillsides applauds the forthright and transparent manner in which DCFS has reviewed its practice and offer our support to help create a system where children come first. With any luck fewer people will never-the-less more effectively assist children and their families to successfully make their way through crisis and have hope restored.

Treat all children as our own

Sandy Banks offers a great perspective on the foster care system in her recent article in the Los Angeles Times where she propose that if  we took personally the care of the children in foster care, it would change for the better. In the February 9^th article her daughter’s friend who was in foster care  asks her whether she would be able to drop off her own daughter at a residential facility. And her answer was “no.” Not because of the quality of care, but simply because as a mother it was impossible for her to imagine that even the finest of facilities and  dedicated staff could do justice to the needs of her child.

Having directed residential treatment facilities for very vulnerable children for almost 25 years, I agree with Banks. However, the need for residential care still exists as part of an array of services required to effectively treat children who have been traumatized.

Recently, I recall speaking to the father of a resident who described to me the powerlessness that he felt to adequately address the needs of his teenage son. The adolescent’s defiance and outbursts had disrupted the family. After many less intrusive attempts to provide care, the family was left with little recourse, but to consider residential treatment. Hillsides has been a real resource for this family as they hope for the reunification of their son soon.

There are many reasons to consider residential treatment. For some of our residents, the failure of their families to provide an adequate and safe environment prompts the placement. For others, extraordinary developmental or learning challenges lead to residential treatment. For all residents, trauma of one sort or another is at the root of the care they require.

More and more families are effectively engaged, allowing  well over 85% of those children we serve in our residential treatment program to return home, experience success, and enjoy their childhood.

So to address the opening question posed by Sandy Banks, would you drop your child off at a residential treatment center? Perhaps the answer is, “only if absolutely necessary.” It is an important question to address for us who, one way or another, provide services for children removed from their homes. The only way that care can be effective is if indeed the children are treated as one of our own.

I often remind staff that separation is a considerable hardship that our residents and their families experience. So, with that in mind, our responsibility is to ease that burden by providing the absolute highest quality care we can offer.

A special tribute

The January issue of THE Magazine provided Hillsides with an opportunity to reintroduce itself to the community and define its place as a premier provider of an array of services to very vulnerable children, youth and their families. Universally, the reaction to the 24-page insert was how surprised many are to see the scope and depth of the services that we offer.

For many, the one thing that continues to dominate their perception of the organization is the 100-year-old residential program. First as an orphanage and now as a residential treatment center, this campus-based service embodies the core of what Hillsides is all about--providing the highest quality care and support that makes a lasting impact on the lives of those we serve.

The increased attention generated by our centennial year has helped to surface many former residents that have contacted us, sharing recollections of not just their memories of time spent at Hillsides, but also the impact the services they received  has had on their lives.

One former resident sent us the following recollection…

"I was placed at Hillsides in 1972 after being in foster homes off and on for six years…I recall being very scared and acting out… I recall my counselor… my favorite aide …earning money in the kitchen … learning pottery up on the hill by the pool. Weekend trips to the movies...but mostly I recall being cared for… Hillsides represents a turning point in my life, where I decided that I was going to be responsible and not blame what had happened to me for my own failures. I was abused, neglected and forgotten …at Hillsides I learned to forgive and move on. 

"I am a father now and my daughter has everything I never did because of the lessons I learned from Hillsides and the caring people involved there and my own motivation to be the best parent."

This is what Hillsides is all about at its best! Whether it is our residential treatment, the services offered at the Hillsides Education Center, our community-based services in schools and neighborhoods or our innovative program for former foster youth, Youth Moving On, Hillsides strives to create lasting change for children, youth, and families we serve. At the end of the day, we measure our success by the impact that we have on each person.

Our measurable work is made not just by our dynamic team of experts, but also by legions of dedicated volunteers and supporters who are so committed to tangibly making a difference in the lives for whom we care. Let me end by, once again, sharing from the tribute that was offered by this former resident.

"The next time you think you are not making a difference, think again. Everything you will do for those in need will have an effect, however small it may seem at the time."

To all those who are associated in some way with our important mission, thanks for all you do. I hope you will consider joiningus as we celebrate 100 years of creating lasting change.