Holiday Wishes Answered at Hillsides Young Professional Mixer

All 84 holiday wishes of the 12 teens living in Hillsides off-campus group homes were fulfilled by members of H100, Hillsides young professional support group, during their Fall Member Social held on November 19. Some 60 guests gathered together at Chef Claud Beltran’s new restaurant in Pasadena, Bacchus’ Kitchen, to share an evening of conversation, cocktails, appetizers, and giving back.

The restaurant, still under construction with exposed walls and little furniture, provided a unique and elegantly sparse scene for the event. The room was dominated by an eight-foot silver Christmas tree from which the individual wishes of the teens dangled. The gifts asked for were new bedding, holiday wishes, and stocking stuffers for the teens.

“The H100 group has taken the teens who live at Hillsides satellite homes under their wings, which is important because often during the holidays, donors focus mainly on the younger children and the teens get left out,” said Hillsides director of development Carrie Espinoza. “With these gifts, the teens will have a happy holiday and be reminded that someone cares.”

During the evening, a former resident of Hillsides, Jamie Steinberg, spoke. Steinberg lived at Hillsides 27 years ago when she was 10. She told the guests that after being shuffled through 20 to 25 foster homes as a young child, she was placed at Hillsides. “I felt for the first time that people cared about me,” she said. “I got a sense of security I never felt before.” While at Hillsides, Steinberg received her first gift, a stuffed animal, that she still owns today. She also credits Hillsides with finding her a loving adoptive mother.

Hillsides chief executive Joseph M. Costa also addressed the group, calling H100 “the future of Hillsides,” and thanking them for the considerable contributions they’d made to Hillsides. He also invited them to support the agency in its current capital campaign to raise $12 million for a renovation of the aging main campus in Pasadena. He explained that any donations made by the end of March, 2015 to the capital campaign will be matched.

Bacchus’ Kitchen is located at 1384 Washington Boulevard in Pasadena and will open in early 2015.

Hillsides, founded in 1913, is a premier provider dedicated to improving the overall well-being and functioning of children, youth, and families in need throughout Los Angeles County. Hillsides offers residential treatment services for children who cannot live at home or who face emotional and/or behavioral challenges. The group teen satellite homes offer older youth the opportunity to develop independent living skills, job training, and community experiences. For more information on Hillsides and holiday giving, please visit www.hillsides.org.