Left to right: John Gong, the vice president of global events and show production at Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media, was awarded the Hillsides Angel Award, by Hillsides Chief Executive Officer Joseph M. Costa at Hillsides Circle of Excellence Awards held on October 22.
It was an emotional evening on October 22 at Hillsides Circle of Excellence Dinner, an annual event where Hillsides thanks donors and volunteers who have gone above and beyond in giving their talents, time, and resources to the agency.
Hillsides, a nonprofit child welfare organization serving children in foster care and families in crisis, honored three individuals and one organization for their contributions to the agency.
John Gong, the vice president of global events and show production at Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media, was awarded the Hillsides Angel Award. Gong brought the crowd to tears with his emotional speech about his involvement with Hillsides since 1997. He talked about how important it was for him to be inside Hillsides “circle of compassion” and how he has gained more than he has given during his years serving as a board member, rebranding advisor, and Hillsides Volunteer Network member, among many other duties.
Sue Tutt, the winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award for her efforts teaching the boys and girls of Hillsides sewing and cooking, along with her work in the Hillsides Guild, said that volunteering at Hillsides was “the best part of her life.”
Also honored was the Friends of Foster Children, who won the Community Angel Award. Friends of Foster Children supports children in the foster care system and emancipated youth. As just one example of their good works, this year gave away $25,000 worth of school supplies. In addition, Edward Patterson was awarded the Special Recognition Award for his many years of service to Hillsides Volunteer Network, which raises funds for and organizes activities for children who live at Hillsides Residential Treatment Services program. Patterson and his wife Lori have been so inspired by volunteering at Hillsides that they have become foster parents, with the intention of ultimately adopting a child.
During the event, Hillsides Chief Executive Officer Joseph M. Costa gave a heartfelt farewell to Nancy Garni, Hillsides chief advancement officer who passed away on October 9 after a long and heroic battle with leukemia, including a stem cell transplant. Garni had worked in Hillsides advancement department for 26 years.
The keynote speaker of the evening was Dr. Anissa McNeil, the chief executive officer of Education Works Consulting Firm, Inc. She spoke of overcoming homeless and the foster care system as a child and how she went on to receive two master’s degrees and a doctorate of education in organizational leadership. She spoke about her own journey – recounting how as a six-year-old girl sleeping on the streets she was shocked to find that people stepped right over and kept on going — and of her volunteer work with children in foster care, urging the audience to “stay a part of the solution.” Dr. McNeil is also co-chair for Glamour Gowns, a yearly event that provides prom dresses and suits to children in foster care.
The Circle of Excellence Dinner was held at The Rococo Room in Old Town Pasadena.
Hillsides, founded in 1913, serves more than 6,200 families and children throughout Los Angeles County. For more information, please visit www.hillsides.org.
