Today we’d like to introduce you to Silvio Orlando.
Silvio, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I began my career in Montreal Canada in 1970 after having obtained 2 bachelor’s degrees. I worked in a residential treatment facility for delinquent youth as a front line youth care counselor. After two years, I went back to Graduate school at Boston College to obtain my Masters of Social Work degree. I returned to the same agency in Montreal where I worked as a social worker in that agency’s community based aftercare program, was promoted to supervisor of that program and in 1978 was promoted to the Director of Residential Services responsible for 100 youth in three different locations.
In 1983, I left Canada to continue my career in the US. I worked as the assistant director of the Hawthorne Cedar Knolls School in Westchester County, New York. That agency sponsored me for my green card.
In 1988, I relocated to Los Angeles where I obtained a position as the associate director of Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services where I worked for 11 years.
In 1999, I came to Optimist Youth Homes and Family Services as the Executive Director. With the recent acquisition by Optimist of a sister agency, Pacific Lodge Youth Services in Woodland Hills, my title was changed to Chief Executive Officer.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Private fundraising is our biggest challenge as we need funds to provide the extras that these children and families really need and deserve.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Optimist Youth Homes and Family Services – what should we know?
Optimist Youth Homes and Family Services (OYHFS) is one of the oldest and largest private non-profit child. We are one of the oldest and largest private non-profit welfare/juvenile justice agencies in Southern California. We opened our doors in 1906 with 5 young men on a five-acre facility in Highland Park, and today our capacity is over 650 children and families every day served in a myriad of services including residential, foster family, community based mental health outpatient mental health clinics, and a specialized charter school for probation and foster youth. We have locations all over Los Angeles County and accept referrals for our residential programs from 18 counties.
OYHFS was one of the early agencies to become nationally accredited meaning we meet the highest of professional and administrative standards. We were a force behind pushing the State of California to make national accreditation mandatory for all agencies which has just become law as of this January.
We employ over 400 staff and have an annual budget of over $35,000,000 with the newly merged organization. Most is state and county funding however we need to raise some $1,000,000 a year from private resources to balance our budget.
We are especially proud of the fact that we are accredited but more importantly that we have so many different specialized programs to help those we serve that many other agencies cannot provide. This is made possible by both a dedicated loyal long term staff as well as a committed board of directors and advisory board members who provide leadership and the extra fundraising so that we can accomplish our goals. We are also well respected by the county departments with whom we have contracts.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Optimist has a robust volunteer/mentor program coordinated by a tireless talented professional staff member. In addition, the executive management team has been in place for many years with many of the members having come up through the ranks of our multi-faceted organization. All are professional experienced individuals. As mentioned, our Advisory Board works alongside our Director of Development to help raise the private funds necessary to operate effectively.
Contact Info:
- Address: Headquarters: 6957 No. Figueroa St.
Los Angeles, Ca. 9004101074 - Website: www.oyhfs.org
- Phone: 3230443-3022
- Email: silorlando@oyhfs.org
- Facebook: Optimist Youth Homes and Family Services
