Messages from the President & CEO

Recently, two men shared very personal stories of how Hillside helped them overcome profound challenges to fulfill their potential.

As a youth in the 1960s, Richard Jackson lived for several years on our Monroe Campus in Rochester. His memoir Ward of the Court describes how that experience led to a remarkable life as a human services leader and the mayor of Ottawa, Kansas. Now 79 and retired, Richard returned to Hillside and shared his story over pizza with youth, in a virtual meeting with our staff, and in an interview with WXXI radio. He praised our services as being critical in shaping lives of strength, purpose and achievement.

He also met with donors at a special event, joined by an alumnus of our Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection program who shared his own deeply moving story. While in high school, Casanova Burgos endured the deaths of his cousin and his father; at the event, he talked about how he was given strength to cope with those traumas thanks to sustained support from his HWSC Youth Advocates. Casanova, now 33, is a Navy Reserves veteran, a father, and an aspiring firefighter; like Richard, he says Hillside empowered him to realize his goals.

Richard and Casanova are potent reminders of the vital nature of our work—and of the many other vulnerable youth and adults who still need support. Hillside’s services make a powerful impact on countless lives every day, and your support makes our work possible.

There are so many ways you can make a difference as a Hillside partner. I hope you’ll consider supporting our mission with a donation, becoming a foster parent, or joining our team as a Hillside employee. Together, we can help more individuals like Casanova and Richard discover their paths to the stronger futures they deserve.

Thank you!

Maria Cristalli
President & Chief Executive Officer

Hillside’s dedication to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is a commitment to our community; to the youth, adults and families we serve; and to each other. We understand that many voices make for a stronger conversation. We reject discrimination in all its forms. And we know that no community can fulfill its potential until community member enjoys equal access to opportunity.

These are year-round priorities, to be sure, but the month of June is still a particularly powerful time for DE&I. During Pride Month, Hillside joins our neighbors in saying “no” to hate and bigotry aimed at the LGBTQIA+ community. Caribbean-American Heritage Month inspires us to celebrate the culture and achievements of that population. And the Juneteenth holiday reminds us all of the historic end of slavery in our country—as well as its lingering effects on our society.

 This month and every month, we’re determined to continuously evolve in our DE&I work. Whether marching at Pride parades, participating in community events, or leading internal initiatives that support and inspire our employees, we’re passionate about this journey.

 With that in mind, I’m delighted to welcome a new DE&I leader to our family his month. Latesha Fussell, Hillside’s new Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, is an experienced and committed champion of this work. She’ll play a lead role in ongoing DE&I meetings and events, ensuring that we strive for equity and inclusivity in all we do.

 You’ll hear more from Latesha in the months to come. For now, please do what you can to embrace the spirit of this important time of year. And as always, thank you for your interest in Hillside’s mission!

Maria Cristalli
President & CEO
Hillside

Hillside is a part of the communities we serve. Through the services we provide, youth and families are empowered to achieve the stronger futures they deserve. Their successes benefit us all—which makes community partnerships particularly invaluable in helping our programs do even more for those in need.

Our current focus on digital equity is an excellent example of a serious community challenge that requires our attention—and we can’t do it alone.

Among its many impacts, the COVID-19 pandemic made the longstanding issue of digital inequity much worse for students and families across the country and close to home. In Syracuse, for instance, nearly a quarter of residents have no dependable Internet access—compromising their ability to complete schoolwork, apply for jobs, and advance professionally in a world increasingly defined by digital standards. (For more background, please read this article from Hillside’s most recent Impact Report.)

In the regions we serve, students in our Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection program have been among the hardest-hit by this issue. The situation for our HWSC students has started to change through an ongoing philanthropic appeal, and thanks to donors in Syracuse and Rochester including Northwestern Mutual, the Paychex Charitable Foundation, the Central New York Community Foundation, The Green Family Foundation and Berkshire Bank Foundation. These donations will help increase digital capacity for the young people in our programs—supporting their ability to engage online in ways that help them succeed today and prepare for tomorrow.

The entire Hillside family is grateful to our lead donors in this effort, but more support is needed. With increased digital access, young people and families will be better able to achieve academic and professional success. But first, they need help from us—from all of us.

Supporting Hillside represents an investment in our community. I hope you’ll consider making a gift to Hillside today, and becoming a partner in our work.

As always, thank you for your commitment to Hillside’s mission!

Maria Cristalli
President & CEO

The children who attend Hillside’s schools at our residential campuses and Day Treatment programs share the same hopes and dreams as students in any public or private school—and in many cases, their challenges are similar as well. For example, too few children today have an innate love of reading—the kind of passion that can open doors, in academics and beyond.

That’s why we’re excited to launch Hillside Reads, a new literacy initiative that aims to help the children in our care discover their own love of reading. Beginning this month, our Education teams will be creating special events and activities on an ongoing basis in an agency-wide effort to encourage our students to embrace reading in all its forms—in and out of the classroom.

So many positive life outcomes can be traced back to the simple but elusive gift of literacy, and every child deserves every opportunity to build that skill. In the weeks and months to come, we’ll share examples of Hillside Reads initiatives on this website and in social media—and we’ll have ways for you to get involved, as well.

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February is Black History Month, an annual time of commemoration and celebration—and an important opportunity to learn more about Black history. Our DE&I page has some details about how Hillside is embracing this special month, and I hope you’re doing the same in your home and community. As I mentioned in a message to Hillside staff, we all benefit from living in a more diverse, equitable and inclusive community.

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Thank you as always for your interest in our mission—this month and every month, community support keeps Hillside strong!

Maria Cristalli
President & CEO

As we close Hillside’s 185th year of service, I couldn’t be more proud of our history—and I’m equally excited about our future. There’s so much happening at our agency, and I’m pleased to announce a new podcast that will offer a regular glimpse into our people, our work, and our impact.

Each month, Conversations with the CEO will showcase the unique perspectives of our staff, community partners and the youth and families we serve. You’ll find a dedicated link to the podcast at the top of this page.

The conversations have already been fascinating. For our inaugural episode, I was honored to be joined by members of our Board of Governors for a look back at Hillside’s founding in 1837, and the many ways in which our mission and commitment have evolved since then. Next, I talked with two long-serving Hillside employees about how they’re living our values in their everyday work.

Future episodes will explore different aspects of the Hillside community—and as you’re an important part of that community, I hope you’ll check in each month and join the conversation.

On behalf of all of us at Hillside—from our family to yours—please accept my best wishes for a safe, healthy and joyous holiday season. Thank you as always for your shared commitment to our mission: your support keeps Hillside Strong, every day!

See you in 2023,

Maria Cristalli
President and CEO
Hillside