Category Archives: News

The Board of Governors of Hillside Family of Agencies has announced the appointment of Maria Cristalli as President and Chief Executive Officer. She succeeds Dennis M. Richardson, who retired from the top leadership role on June 30. A graduate of the University of Rochester with a Master’s Degree in Public Health, Cristalli has devoted her career to youth and families. She joined Hillside Family of Agencies in 1991 and has steadily taken on new leadership and executive responsibilities during her tenure. As Chief Strategy and Quality Officer, she provided vision, leadership and direction for Hillside’s strategic planning, quality improvement, business…

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Free Summer Meal Sites across New York and around the country Learning and good nutrition do not end when school lets out. The USDA Summer Food Service Program helps provide nutritious meals to children so they are better fueled with healthy food to learn and grow.  Starting in July and going to mid-August, youth ages 18 years and younger can receive FREE breakfast, lunch, or snack served at community recreation centers, summer school locations and other neighborhood sites around New York State, Maryland and throughout the country. Find the location and meal times that work best for you New for…

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Hillside Family of Agencies President & CEO Dennis M. Richardson to Retire Effective June 30, 2018 Richardson has led HFA’s growth and innovation since 1994 ROCHESTER, NY — Hillside Family of Agencies, one of the largest child-and-family human services organizations in the United States, announces the planned retirement of President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis M. Richardson. His retirement will be effective at the end of the fiscal year, June 30, 2018, following 24 years of service to the organization. Prior to joining Hillside Family of Agencies in 1994, Richardson was Executive Director of the Children’s Study Home in Springfield,…

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Augustin Melendez to transition to Chief HROD Officer position; Paul Perrotto, Chief Financial and Strategic Development Officer, announces retirement effective June 30 ROCHESTER, NY — Hillside Family of Agencies, one of the largest child-and-family human services organizations in the United States, has announced key changes to its executive leadership team: Augustin Melendez, a member of Hillside’s leadership team since 2013, will transition from his role as President of Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection (HW-SC) to the role of Chief Human Resources and Organizational Development (HROD) Officer. Melendez, formerly a veteran human-resources executive at Eastman Kodak Company and Paychex, has been serving as…

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Binghamton, NY — Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection (HW-SC), an affiliate of Hillside Family of Agencies, has launched its first partnership in the greater Binghamton area through a new agreement with the Binghamton City School District that will take effect this fall. HW-SC provides a wide range of supportive services to students in grades 9-12 who are vulnerable to factors that can prevent high school graduation, and helps them graduate from high school on time with college and career readiness. Core services including mentoring, life skills and workforce development are facilitated by the HW-SC Youth Advocate, a full-time professional who works closely…

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July 2017 – Prince George’s County, MD — Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection (HW-SC), an affiliate of Hillside Family of Agencies, has announced the formation of the Greater Washington service region, comprised of HW-SC programs in Prince George’s County, MD, and Washington, DC. HW-SC unleashes the potential of youth by providing positive youth development, academic support and college and career exploration to support their success in school and beyond. The program began serving Prince George’s County nine years ago, and launched a program in Washington, DC, in 2016. Karene Brodie, Executive Director, Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection, will oversee the new region. “We are…

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Governor Andrew Cuomo recently announced $4.75 million to support the expansion of early childhood anti-poverty initiatives as part of the Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative (RMAPI). Funding will support new summer learning programs, and child care and home visiting services for children and caregivers in the City of Rochester pilot neighborhoods targeted by the Anti-Poverty Initiative, including the EMMA neighborhood – East Main, Mustard & Atlantic Avenue – Beechwood and Marketview Heights. Parents as Teachers at Hillside will receive a portion of the funding to continue their work helping parents give their children the best start in life and to increase their…

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Learning and good nutrition do not end when school lets out. The USDA Summer Food Service Program helps provide nutritious meals to children so they are better fueled with healthy food to learn and grow.  Starting at the end of June 2017 and going to mid-August, youth ages 18 years and younger can receive FREE breakfast, lunch, or snack served at community recreation centers, summer school locations and other neighborhood sites around New York State, Maryland and throughout the country. Find the location and meal times that work best for you Website: Access the following website to find a site…

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We know that the recently announced closing of the Rochester-area Stepping Stones Learning Center (not affiliated with Hillside’s Stepping Stones program in Fulton, NY) will leave many families without immediate educational supports for their children, and create unexpected challenges for many skilled professionals in this essential field. If you are exploring next steps for your preschool child, please consider Hillside. We offer Universal Pre-K for general education students. If interested, please call 585-256-7500. We also have the Hillside Crestwood Therapeutic Education Center, 2077 Scottsville Road. We are a member of the non-district 853 school system, dedicated to providing developmentally appropriate…

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Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection was praised today in testimony delivered to the U.S. House of Representatives, during a Human Resources Subcommittee Hearing of the House Ways and Means Committee. At the hearing, dedicated to “Opportunities for Youth and Young Adults to Break the Cycle of Poverty,” a statement from Cheryl Oldham, Vice President of Education Policy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, noted that “many youth, particularly those who are at-risk, are simply not aware of the many opportunities that exist in the labor market because they have not been exposed to professional careers. There is no better way to tear…

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