A Little Piece of History
The story of Brethren Hillcrest Homes dates back to the 1800s when Los Angeles businessman Isaac Wilson Lord founded the community now known as La Verne. Part of a larger land grab as the Santa Fe Railroad expanded West, Lord quickly outfitted the town with its own water mains, post office, newspaper, and a spacious hotel. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long before he realized it wasn’t quite the investment he had hoped for.
Enter the Church of the Brethren. A peaceful, down-to-earth people, they saw great opportunity in the small town and purchased the hotel and several plots of land. Throughout the late 1800s and into the 1900s, the little enclave flourished.
Then, as time went on and the population began to age, the La Verne residents quickly realized they had a need for a retirement community. As a way to meet this need, Brethren Hillcrest Homes incorporated in 1947. Two years later, Hillcrest built its first home, and the real story began.
Care For All
Beginning with only six-and-a-half acres to their name, Hillcrest has now grown to over 60 acres of property. But they’ve expanded in other ways as well. Over the past seventy years, the community has evolved with the times, growing to accommodate healthcare needs and a rising population.
Home to nearly 400 residents, the organization defines itself as a “continuing care retirement community”. As opposed to many widely known leisure retirement communities that only support independent living, Hillcrest covers all levels of care, from independent living all the way to a specialized dementia unit.
This Is Not An “Old Folks’ Home”
Whatever you do, don’t let the residents’ walkers and canes fool you. If there is one thing that Hillcrest is not, it’s an “old folks’ home”. Scott Frederick, Director of HR at Brethren Hillcrest Homes, remarks jokingly, “We don’t play bingo here!” as he enthusiastically rattles off an extensive list of activity options for residents.
We have an incredible programming staff here. Our programs aren’t just for exercise – there’s food, activities, off-site excursions, etc. And we’re always searching for new things to try.
Frederick explains that at Hillcrest, they try to put the focus on bringing the community together. He describes evening movies with freshly popped popcorn and summer nights spent around the fire. It’s about knowing you have exciting things to do every day of the week. More importantly, it’s about knowing you have a whole community around you to share those experiences with.
Why SDP?
Having just celebrated their 7th anniversary with Southland Data Processing in March, Frederick shares,
I’ve had a great experience with Southland Data Processing – with everything I have ever asked for or needed, SDP has always been willing to keep us happy. We greatly appreciate it!
Whereas their previous payroll provider had begun a practice of increasing rates astronomically, Southland Data Processing was actually able to cut Hillcrest’s costs in half. In addition to the cost savings, Frederick also loved that SDP was local. (Only a few blocks away from his home in Upland!)
Frederick also appreciates Southland Data Processing’s Give Back program, where we donate a portion of our annual revenue to our nonprofit clients. He shares that these funds go to the business’ “Benevolent Fund.”
Brethren Hillcrest Homes was founded on the philosophy of helping those in need. And with the help of donations like these, Hillcrest is able to continue this philosophy. For example, the Benevolent Fund is used to support residents who can no longer afford the cost of their own care. Additionally, Hillcrest has a variety of giving options for other community needs as well.
Welcome to Hillcrest
Whether you have an aging loved one who is exploring options for the next stage in their life, or you would like to support the incredible work that Hillcrest’s team is accomplishing with their residents, we encourage you to learn more about the community. And if you’re ever in the area, be sure to stop by and say hi!
SDP Client Spotlights: Celebrating Our Clients
Every month, we highlight one of our amazing clients with the SDP Client Spotlight. Here at Southland Data Processing, we’re in the people business, and strive to always put our clients first. So if you or your organization is interested in becoming our next Client Spotlight, please contact us at [email protected] and we’d love to hear your story!
Photos by Brethren Hillcrest Homes