1869
Only a few weeks after Children’s Hospital Boston opened, hospital managers enlisted the support of women in the Boston community. “No sooner was it whispered abroad than a number of ladies met together, and agreed to carry it into effect without delay…,” stated the 1869 annual report. The Ladies’ Aid Association set to work supplying bandages, towels, table and bed linens, boots, shoes, hats and clothing for the children. The hospital lauded their efforts in the annual report: “[They] contributed in a great measure to the comfort and happiness of its [patients]; not only by supplying articles of furniture and clothing, but by the friendly visits of its members, and their affectionate personal interest in the children.”
1920
Nearly half a century later, the Welfare Committee evolved from the same commitment to support Children’s and its patients and provided the same type of services as the Ladies Aid Association. The group strived to meet the many needs of the quickly growing hospital and combined its efforts with the women’s boards of two affiliated institutions: the Thomas Morgan Rotch Jr. Memorial Hospital and the Children’s Convalescent Home in Wellesley.
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1947
Children’s combined with affiliated institutions to form Children’s Medical Center, and the Welfare Committee was renamed the Women’s Committee. This group was especially dedicated to volunteer work for the children. The women hosted several nurses’ tea receptions and provided volunteers for a multitude of sub-committees, such as the library, knitting and photography committees. As the medical center grew, the Women’s Committee realized the need to provide supplementary financial support to Children’s through fundraising. They created the Yankee Bookstall and a thrift shop, raising more than $340,000 for the hospital.
1975
The Children’s League began, co-existing with the Women’s Committee as a separate fundraising group. They sponsored several benefits to support medical and surgical technology, raising $50,000 in its first two years of fundraising.
1979
The Women’s Committee and the Children’s League merged to form the Children’s Hospital League. The League sponsored the Annual Festival for Children’s and continued to run the thrift shop. Gifts from the League have provided seed money to support technology and have funded many projects in the Volunteer Department at Children’s.
1987
The League fulfilled its first $1 million pledge and established the Patient Entertainment Center.
2009
Today, the League follows in the benevolent footsteps of its forebears by pledging hundreds of thousands of dollars to support Children’s. To date, the League has given more than $14 million for patient services, medical research, education and capital improvements. It’s been the source of funds to establish many programs, including the Angiogenesis Innovation Fund, the Music Therapy Program, the resource center at The Center for Young Women’s Health and the PawPrints program.
Learn more. Visit the Archives Program’s women’s history exhibit on Farley 1, now through May. |
