Trojan Alumni Give Back to Hillsides During USC International Day of SCervice

Left to right: Co-chairs Brianna and Rosanne Berlen.

For the fourth year in a row, an alumni support group of the University of Southern California, the Trojan Affiliates, organized an afternoon of art for the children who reside at Hillsides as part of the USC International Day of SCervice on March 11, 2017. The group provided canvases, sketch pads, paints, ribbons, buttons, and snacks, and 17 volunteers donated their time to oversee the activities with the children.

“The children had a wonderful time painting and decorating canvases, some of which have been hung in the campus dining room,” said Laura Kelso, Hillsides director of community resources. “Art is a very healing activity for the children, and we are so appreciative of the caring, thought and love these USC alumni put into this yearly project.”

The event was co-chaired by Trojan Affiliates member and John Aaroe realtor Rosanne Berlen, who has overseen the event each year, and her daughter Brianna. “It is so gratifying to see the happiness on the children’s faces when we work with them on their art projects,” said Berlen. “We also love working with the Hillsides staff, who are so knowledgeable and caring and make our efforts so worthwhile.”

The USC International Day of SCervice is a worldwide effort on behalf of Trojan alumni to give back to their respective communities by implementing and participating in select service projects. The Trojan Affiliates is an alumnae organization based in the San Gabriel Valley dedicated to developing fundraising projects to provide scholarships for deserving USC students and contributing to the advancement of education.

About Hillsides

Hillsides provides high quality care, advocacy, and innovative services that promote safe, permanent environments where children and youth can thrive. Headquartered in Pasadena, the agency and its affiliation with Bienvenidos serves 13,000 children and families in Southern California throughout its 33 sites, including school-based mental health offices in Los Angeles, Pasadena, and Baldwin Park. Foster care and adoptions services in approved resource family homes serve families in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. To learn more about both agencies, visit www.Hillsides.org and www.Bienvenidos.org. Visit Hillsides on Facebook @hillsideschildren, on Twitter @Hillsides, or on Instagram @HillsidesPasadena.