The Civil War - Based on the need created by the upheaval of the Civil War (1861-1865), major social welfare initiatives, such as the U.S. Sanitary Commission and the American Red Cross, emerged. The first federal social welfare program, referred to as the Freedmen’s Bureau, began in 1865 as a means to help newly emancipated slaves.
The Industrial Revolution - Settlement houses were created in response to some of the societal changes caused by industrial expansion. Settlement houses were neighborhood-based organizations that provide services specific to the needs of their neighborhoods. The first U.S. settlement, the Neighborhood Guild, began in New York City in 1886. In 1889, Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr created The Hull House, the most famous American settlement house. The residents of Hull House offered public education programs to everyone in the community along with social services such as a public kitchen, access to public baths, and a nursery.
Even before the founding of the legendary Hull House, Every Child’s Hope (ECH) was founded in 1858 as an orphanage for immigrant children who lost their parents in cholera outbreaks.
We are honored to collaborate with Every Child's Hope, which has been around for 164 years, as a customer. This agency of caring social work professionals is perhaps the best example of the elaborate and long-lasting program development that epitomizes the professional evolution and enduring dedication of social workers for over 200 years in America.
"We provide hope for every child, healing for every family, every day."
In St. Louis, Missouri, as the needs of children and families evolved over the past century and a half, the services and programs of Each Child’s Hope have adapted to meet those ever-changing needs. While ECH is no longer an orphanage, caring for vulnerable children is still at the heart of each program. More than 200 staff members across Missouri continue to be dedicated to preventing child abuse, treating emotional trauma, and providing aftercare and follow-up services. Each year ECH helps more than 1,400 youth and children find healing and hope for their futures.
The evolution of this dedicated agency over 164 years from a simple orphanage to a collection of sophisticated services is a remarkable accomplishment. Young Oliver no longer needs Fagan to teach him survival as a pickpocket. Each Child’s Hope will show him a better way.
If you want to learn more about the incredible work performed by the clients we serve, please read the following...
High Level Tech for High Standards of Care
Rite of Passage: A Family-focused Approach to Case Management
Why Focusing on the Small Details Makes a BIG Difference In Nonprofit Case Management