Hillsides, a Southern California foster care and mental health charity, has named Joseph M. Costa, its retiring President and CEO, as honorary chair of its first Virtual Gala “Raising Hope,” to be held online on Feb. 27.
Costa, the emeritus of Hillsides who has served for more than 11 years, will lead the gala format, which is being presented virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I am very excited to show our supporters what our gala committee has in store for this incredibly special and unique event,” said Costa, who will retire from Hillsides in June, in a news release. “Although we would love nothing more than to come together with our incredible supporters at our usual in-person gathering at The Langham Huntington in Pasadena, the pandemic had other plans for us. However, we’ve decided to use this setback as an opportunity to create an entirely new event that will contain many of the elements that our supporters look forward to and new elements that will make this a virtual event to remember. Most importantly, this online format allows us to showcase this noteworthy event to a whole new audience who will be able to attend for free and experience our impactful program and entertainment lineup.”
The event’s theme, Raising Hope, is a timely recognition of this unique moment in history where so much of our daily lives have been severely impacted and so much lost due to the pandemic.
Costa says he envisions a gala where a new group of supporters will have the opportunity to be introduced to Hillsides’ mission and service to the community that began in 1913.
“We have already seen a heavy demand for our services across our programs due to the pandemic,” Costa said. “Minority communities have been disproportionately affected by illness and financial hardships and are coming to Hillsides in higher numbers than ever before through our Family Resource Centers and Foster Family and Adoptions programs. The pandemic has also taken a huge toll on the mental health of many of the young people we serve through our Residential Treatment program, our Youth Moving On program, and our Hillsides Education Center. We are dedicated to helping young people and this event is our signature fundraiser for the year that helps us deliver these essential services to the most vulnerable members of our community.”
The gala will be held on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. and can be accessed by visiting hillsides.ejoinme.org/RaisingHope2021. Interested participants should register for the event via the link to receive event updates and the ability to access the online silent auction prior to the event. All proceeds from the event will support Hillsides’ five core programs: a residential treatment program for children in foster care; a program for youth transitioning from foster care; Hillsides Education Center, a nonpublic school for students with academic and/or behavioral issues; family resource centers offering mental health services; and a foster care and adoption program. The charity serves more than 17,000 children and families throughout Southern California.
For sponsorship opportunities or to make donations for auction, contact Carrie Espinoza, Hillsides Chief Advancement Officer at (323) 543-2800, ext. 12221 or cespinoza@hillsides.org.
Hillsides’ Retiring CEO to Preside Over ‘Raising Hope’ Gala
