Hillsides Supporter Thomas Safran & Associates Wins Prestigious Child Welfare Award

Thomas Safran & Associates (TSA), which arranged a “Big Give” for Hillsides that raised almost $100,000 for the agency, has been awarded the Corporate Advocate of the Year award by Child Welfare League of America (CWLA). The award will be presented during CWLA’s national conference held in Washington, D.C. on April 27 – 29.

TSA is an affordable housing developer in Los Angeles that each year provides a “Big Give” event to a selected charity. In September, 2014, TSA chose Hillsides as its designated charity. More than 150 TSA employees beautified Hillsides Pasadena campus, held a carnival for the children, and raised $96,866 for Hillsides.

The CWLA Corporate Advocate of the Year designation is awarded to a for-profit business that has made a demonstrated national and local commitment to improve outcomes for children and families who are vulnerable and the organizations that serve them. Hillsides nominated TSA for the award in recognition of its fundraising and volunteer efforts toward Hillsides and other charities and for its commitment to affordable housing.

“We are impressed by the generosity and philosophy of TSA, and how so many of its employees work incredibly hard to raise funds and donations for other individuals in need,” said Hillsides Chief Executive Officer Joseph M. Costa. “We are thrilled that this remarkable company is gaining the recognition it deserves.”

Representatives from TSA and Hillsides will be attending the CWLA conference. CWLA is the nation’s oldest and largest membership- based child welfare organization.

During the conference, CWLA will also honor Rep. Renee Ellmers, Republican, 2nd District of North Carolina, as the Congressional Advocate of the Year; the Honorable Ramon Luis Rivera Cruz, Mayor of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, as CWLA National Blueprint Champion for Excellence (Community Partner); journalists Susan Ferriss and Amy Isackson as the winners of The Anna Quindlen Award for Excellence in Journalism on Behalf of Children and Families; Dr. Angelique Day of Wayne State University as CWLA National Blueprint Champion for Excellence (Individual); and the International Social Service – USA, Inc. as CWLA National Blueprint Champion for Excellence (Agency Innovator). For more information on the conference, please visit http://www.cwla.org/2015NationalConference/.

TSA owns and manages more than 5,000 units of affordable housing in California. Its goal is to “enhance the world in which we live and enrich the lives of the people who reside in their buildings.” For more information on TSA, please visit http://www.tsahousing.com.

Hillsides, headquartered in Pasadena, is a premier provider dedicated to improving the overall well-being and functioning of children, youth, and families in need, serving clients throughout Los Angeles County, including Baldwin Park, Echo Park, Pomona, Pasadena, and South Pasadena. For more information on Hillsides, please visit www.hillsides.org.