USC’s Trojan Affiliates ‘Get Crafty’ with Hillsides Children’s Charity

On Saturday, March 14, the Trojan Affiliates, a University of Southern California alumnae organization, will hold an art supply drive from 12:00 – 4:00 p.m. for Hillsides, a premier provider of child welfare services serving children in foster care in Los Angeles County. The organization is asking community members to drop off art supplies during these hours to Hillsides main campus located at 940 Avenue 64, Pasadena. Volunteers will be on hand to collect the supplies. Or, if people cannot drop off supplies on March 14, they can deliver them to Hillsides administrative office any time Monday through Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 p.m.

The supplies needed include canvases (various sizes), paint brushes, acrylic paints, sketchbooks, color sharpies, “perler” beads, artist’s pencils, easels, Play-Doh, different colored Sculpey modeling clay, jewelry-making kits, stickers, gel pens, chalk pastels, stencils, and tissue paper. The art supplies will be used by the children who live at Hillsides residential treatment program.

The Trojan Affiliates will also make canvas art with the children from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. and offer the children refreshments.

The event, “Let’s Get Crafty with Hillsides,” is part of USC’s fourth annual Alumni Day of SCervice, an international effort that gives the University’s alumni and friends opportunities to participate in local service projects within their respective communities. This is the second year in a row that the Trojan Affiliates have decided to give back to Hillsides.

“We are very thankful for the Trojan Affiliates for once again selecting Hillsides as its Day of SCervice volunteer project,” said Hillsides Chief Executive Officer Joseph M. Costa. “Art is a powerful emotional release for the children who live at Hillsides, most of whom have experienced severe trauma. Through creative projects, children learn to express themselves and gain a sense of self-confidence and accomplishment.”

The Trojan Affiliates is a women’s alumni organization based in the San Gabriel Valley dedicated to developing fundraising projects to provide scholarships for deserving USC students and contributing to the advancement of education.

For more information about the event, please contact Laura Kelso, Hillsides director of community resources, at lkelso@hillsides.org or (323) 254-2274, ext. 1251.