Hillsides

Celebrating 95 years, Hillsides is a foster care children's charity that creates safe places by providing residential treatment, mental health and special education; strengthens families and advocates for children's rights.

Why do we exist?

Founded in 1913, Hillsides is a residential and community treatment center that creates safe places for children at risk and their families. Six programs constitute the framework for Hillsides’ treatment services: Residential Treatment, Family Center, Education Center, Wraparound, Youth Moving On, and Advocacy. For 66 children who have been removed from their caregivers’ homes, Hillsides is their safe haven, a place where security exists, a home where they can begin to heal. With the caring hands of our staff, children and youth renew their trust in adults and find hope for a better future.  Former foster youth, after leaving foster care at 18, also find their home at Hillsides Youth Moving On.  YMO is a transitional living program that offers twenty youth entering adulthood with quality, affordable housing in a goal-oriented community.  Hillsides also offers families counseling, provides parenting tools, and helps families create safe home environments. Advocacy is also at the heart of Hillsides’ mission.

What have you accomplished?

With $7 in her pocket, the clothes on her back, and unbeknownst to her, a stolen identity, Moeisha found herself on the verge of homelessness after her foster mother kicked her out of her home when she turned 18. Moeisha heard about Hillsides’ new program for foster youth, Youth Moving On, and was accepted into our transitional living program.  While meeting with a financial consultant, she discovered her foster mother had stolen her identity.  On the road to financial recovery, Moeisha is not only succeeding in transitioning to adulthood, she is also on the road to discovering herself, feeling good about herself, and understanding where she came from. And this is just one story from Hillsides Youth Moving On program. 

When 13-year-old Laura arrived at Hillsides, she bowed her head whenever she walked, covered her face with her hair, and exhibited poor frustration tolerance.  Disconnected from people, distrustful of her surroundings, and angry with her past, Laura challenged the staff that worked with her. Her only motivation to get up in the morning was to play the piano.  “Whenever I’m mad I play the piano and make up my own songs,” said Laura who has been playing the piano for 12 years.  “I calm down.” Now at 15, Laura has blossomed into a self-expressive teenager with a yearning to speak her mind.  She has made tremendous strides since arriving at Hillsides and is pleased with her new home.

We have many more success stories of the 30,000 children we have helped in the last 93 years.

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