LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 175th Anniversary of Hillside
Family of Agencies

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize that the
quality and character of life in the communities across New York State
are reflective of the concerned and dedicated efforts of those organiza-
tions and individuals who would devote themselves to the welfare of the
community and its citizenry; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commem-
orate the 175th Anniversary of Hillside Family of Agencies; and
WHEREAS, The Hillside Family of Agencies began in 1837 as the Roches-
ter Female Association for the Relief of Orphans and Destitute Children;
and
WHEREAS, In the first year, 46 children were served in a small rented
cottage on Corn Hill; renamed and incorporated as the Rochester Orphan
Asylum in 1839, the organization constructed a larger facility in 1844
at Hubbell Park; and
WHEREAS, Throughout the rest of the 19th century, this facility and
the organization's efforts grew in response to the needs of area chil-
dren; orphans were still admitted, but also children in crisis whose
families struggled to provide for them; and
WHEREAS, In 1905, the Rochester Orphan Asylum moved to a 30-acre
location on Pinnacle Hill; the new location was built as an innovative
cottage system that created a home-like environment within the bounda-
ries of the institution; and
WHEREAS, The Rochester Orphan Asylum changed its name in 1921 to Hill-
side Home for Children; another name change came in 1940 when Hillside
Children's Center was adopted; and
WHEREAS, During World War II, Hillside and Eastman Kodak Company
combined efforts to help the children of Kodak employees in England;
From 1940-1942, 156 British children were brought to the Rochester area
by Kodak to safeguard them from the war in their home country; and
WHEREAS, Hillside assisted in placing these "Kodakids," as they were
called, with the families of local Kodak employees or in foster homes
for the duration of the war; and
WHEREAS, As the years progressed, Hillside continued to grow and
change to accommodate the needs of more children, including those with
more difficult problems; and
WHEREAS, In 1965, Hillside broadened its mission to helping dependent,
neglected, learning disabled, emotionally disturbed, socially maladjust-
ed, and delinquent children; and
WHEREAS, As part of this new mission, Hillside began to create
programs and life skills classes to prepare children to return to socie-
ty, either in biological family homes or in foster or adoptive family
homes; and
WHEREAS, During the 1970s, Hillside Children's Center experienced
great growth; the institution began its conversion to a residential
treatment center and reopened its campus school, which had been closed
since 1931; and
WHEREAS, In 1976, the emergency shelter and crisis-counseling program
began, providing a safe haven for children and youth in times of desper-
ation; a day treatment program made it possible to keep more children
with their families while providing them with the services they needed;
and
WHEREAS, In 1996 a new parent organization, Hillside Behavioral Health
System (HBHS), was formed in order to provide services more efficiently

and effectively; Hillside Children's Center and Hillside Children's
Foundation served as partner affiliates; and
WHEREAS, A new affiliate, the Wegmans Work-Scholarship Connection, was
acquired later in 1996 as a mentoring program to improve the graduation
rate within Rochester City Schools; and
WHEREAS, Renamed Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection, the program
continued its focus on helping youth stay in school, achieve academic
success, and earn their high school diplomas through a web of support
provided by school-based youth advocates and worksite mentors; and
WHEREAS, Since its inception, Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection has
consistently helped more than 85% of participating students to graduate
from high school and gain acceptance into college; and
WHEREAS, In 1999, Hillside Behavioral Health System added to its fami-
ly when Crestwood Children's Center and Crestwood Children's Foundation
joined with the specific mission to provide comprehensive mental health
services to culturally diverse children and adolescents who have serious
emotional, behavioral, or mental disorders; and
WHEREAS, Hillside Family of Agencies was adopted as the system name in
December of 2000 to better represent the diversity of services provided
by each affiliate; and
WHEREAS, In the years that followed, Hillside Family of Agencies
continued to grow in pursuit of its strategy to build an integrated
system of care for youth and their families, adding to its affiliation
both Snell Farm Children's Center and Adoption Resource Network, Inc.;
and
WHEREAS, Today, the Hillside Family of Agencies is a nationally recog-
nized integrated system of care, serving thousands of families and chil-
dren each year, with dozens of programs and multiple service sites
throughout the state; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when organiza-
tions of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens of
this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 175th Anniversary of Hillside Family of Agencies; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Hillside Family of Agencies.