Hillsides has received a $2 million bequest, the largest in its 101-year-old history. The bequest is from the Pierose estate, and is the result of a planned gift made to Hillsides upon the death of Dorothy Pierose in July, 2013.

Pierose was a long-time supporter of Hillsides and former resident of Pasadena, CA. She was married to Perry N. Pierose, M.D., a prominent physician in Los Angeles County who died in 1990. In recent years, she lived in Corona Del Mar, CA.

The bequest will be used to fund Hillsides capital campaign, a $12 million project to improve Hillsides aging main campus in Pasadena, CA. The campus houses a residential treatment program for 62 children and a school for children with special needs. The improvements include a new expressive arts center with almost double the art space than now exists and a new music room, a large indoor recreation area and gym, expanded playing fields, a modernized kitchen, and a spacious and welcoming dining commons.

One million dollars of the bequest will go directly into the capital campaign and $1 million will be reserved as a pool of matching funds to generate new contributions to the campaign from October 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015.

“This gift comes at an extraordinary time for Hillsides, and we are honored and humbled to be the recipient,” said Hillsides chief executive officer Joseph M. Costa. “With this donation, Hillsides capital campaign cabinet has now raised more than $6 million, and the bequest has the possibility of raising up to $2 million more. This gives our campaign a huge boost and supports Hillsides evolution as the leader for family-centered treatment and education services in Southern California.”

Hillsides capital campaign members are co-chairs Deborah L.S. Booth (San Marino) and Donald P. Clark (Pasadena); members Donna B. Ford Esq. (La Canada), Samuel Garrison (Pasadena), Mary Dee Hacker Glendale), Dick Hirrel (San Marino), Kelly M. Johnson (Pasadena), Brent M.Mason (Pasadena), Tina B. Nieves Esq. (Pasadena), Steve Nishibayashi, M.D. (Glendale), Bill Noce (Pasadena), Susan Noce (Pasadena), Karen Tanji (La Canada), Jeffrey C. Welch (Manhattan Beach), and Katherine Newhall Yundt (San Marino).

Hillsides began 101 years ago as an orphanage on the site of what is today the Pasadena campus. Since then, Hillsides has grown into a multi-faceted provider of behavioral and educational services serving more than 7,500 individuals throughout Los Angeles County. Hillsides provides high quality care, advocacy, and innovative services that promote safe, permanent environments where young people can thrive.

To learn more about contributing to Hillsides capital campaign, please contact Carrie Espinoza at (323) 543-2800, ext. 221 or [email protected]. To learn more about the campaign, please visit http://www.hillsides.org/capital-campaign. To learn more about Hillsides, please visit www.hillsides.org.