Help Hillsides win $25,000 for kids

Hillsides Youth Moving On video has been selected as semi-finalist of Mercedes-Benz Community Stars Dealers Give Back Facebook Contest for a chance to win $25,000. In celebration of its 125th anniversary, Mercedes-Benz will be donating $125,000 to charities; five beneficiaries will receive $25,000 each.

“Elizabeth Rusnak of Rusnak Auto Group asked us if we would like to participate in the Mercedes-Benz Community Stars Dealers Give Back program for a chance to win $25,000,” said Joe Costa, Hillsides chief executive officer. “With help from Stephen McDonald, our board member, and his colleagues, we produced a sixty-second pitch that we submitted.”

The children’s charity chose to address youth empowerment through Hillsides Youth Moving On. When foster youth turn 18 they emancipate from foster care. With little to no support, 40% of former foster youth end up homeless within 18 months after leaving care. There is little support for transitioning successfully into adulthood. As a result, Hillsides, a charity creating safe places for vulnerable children and families, established Youth Moving On in Los Angeles.

“We did this to combat the daunting statistics that will eventually affect 500,000 children in foster care today,” said Costa. “We did this to create hope and help those vulnerable youth who want to receive help and have no where or no one to turn to.”

Over the course of several hours, five Hillsides YMO residents participated in the filming along with Thomas Lee, Hillsides YMO director. The opportunity to participate in the contest is not just beneficial for us, but for the youth to know they can make a difference in the direction of their lives and others who need help and want it, added Costa. “We should all feel proud of the work they did to make the video a compelling pitch.”

Alongside 14 other deserving submissions on the Mercedes-Benz Community Stars Facebook page (http://on.fb.me/qRkvWN ), Hillsides can win $25,000 based purely by the number of votes they receive from the general public.

The children’s charity is asking the general public to help them by making an announcement to your Facebook wall asking supporters, friends and family to vote for Hillsides Youth Moving On on the Merecedes-Benz Community Stars page using the link, http://on.fb.me/qRkvWN.

If you have a Twitter feed, or use other social networks, post the following: Vote for @Hillsides children’s charity to win $25,000 in the Mercedes-Benz Community Stars Contest: http://on.fb.me/qRkvWN.

“Please let your family and friends know about this contest so they, too, can help us win $25,000,” said Costa. “I hope you find this a worthwhile cause to spread awareness of this video and for sharing your votes with us.”

To learn more about the children’s charity and how you can help, visit www.Hillsides.org and www.YouthMovingOn.org or call 323-254-2274.