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Creation of Hephzibah Children's Association
Mary Wessels founded Hephzibah Children's Association in 1897 when she started caring for two boys, a 6-year-old and a 7-year-old. Hephzibah is Oak Park, Ill.'s oldest charity. Photo Credit: Hephzibah Children's Association Website -
Hephzibah Expands Due to Orphanage Fire
After a fire destroyed a local orphanage in Oak Park, Ill., Mary Wessels decided to expand her services and opened her house to more than a dozen orphans from the burned down house. Photo Credit: Hephzibah Children's Association Website -
Hephzibah Finds a New Home
As the charity started to expand, Mary Wessels bought a new, larger house in 1907 so she could support more children in need of a place to live. The new house was located at 332 Lake St. of Oak Park, Ill. Photo Credit: Hephzibah Children's Association Website -
Hephzibah Builds Another New Home
As Hephzibah became a staple of the community, over 50 children lived in the group home per year during the late 1920's. A new house was built with the intention of creating it in the model of a dormitory so it could hold more children. There was a kitchen and a living room on the first floor and two large dormitory rooms on the second floor. The project cost a total of $81,670 and it still stands as the current Hephzibah house. Photo Credit: City of Oak Park Website -
Hephzibah Becomes Community Chest Agency
Hephzibah established a partnership with the Community Chest, a non-profit organization in Oak Park, Ill., that has continued to support the group home with finances to this day. Photo Credit: City of Oak Park Website -
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Hephzibah Supports World War II Children
Hephzibah decided to shelter the children of men fighting overseas during World War II. In many circumstances, the women were too busy working and could not support their children as a single parent. -
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Hephzibah Starts Day Care
Hephzibah decided to start a day care system during the 1970's in order to keep children with working parents busy after school. Later, this would expand into the creation of an all-day summer camp. Over 600 families use this day care today. -
Mary Anne Brown Becomes Executive Director
Mary Anne Brown started as executive director at Hephzibah Children's Association in 1976, and still holds the position 36 years later. Brown has received several awards for her outstanding service to foster children, including being named one of the Hundred Most Influential Women by Crain's Chicago Business Magazine. Photo Credit: City of Oak Park Website -
Hephzibah Holds First Heart of Gold Gala
Hephzibah's largest fundraising event, the Heart of Gold Gala, started in 1980 and raised over $250,000 in 2012. The ceremony includes 450 attendees, dinner, music and dancing, auctions, and guest speakers. Photo Credit: Glen Ellyn Trib Local -
Hephzibah Opens Short Term Foster Care
Instead of operating under the basis of strictly an orphanage and day care, Hephzibah began providing care as a short term foster home in 1981. Hephzibah would connect children with stable local families that could take care of them for a period of time. The ultimate goal would be to reunite with the biological parents after they gained the skills and resources necessary to raise a child. Photo Credit: City of Oak Park Website -
Oak Park Auxiliary Board Goes Active
Created in 1996, the Oak Park Auxiliary Board of Hephzibah plans events for children to partake in, such as garden planting, and fundraising events. It also hosts the annual Heart of Gold Gala meant to recognize those for their outstanding service to Hephzibah. Photo Credit: Hephzibah Children's Association Website -
Glen Ellyn Auxiliary Board Runs Hoof it for Hephzibah
One of Hephzibah's most popular events, a 5K race named Hoof it for Hephzibah, started on Memorial Day of 2000 in Glen Ellyn, Ill. The children from the group home all participate in the race alongside the runners. Hoof it for Hephzibah Website Photo Credit: Glen Ellyn Trib Local -
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Hephzibah One of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For
Hephzibah Children's Association was named as a winner of the "101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For" from 2007 to 2011. Hephzibah has hundreds of both full-time staff workers and part-time volunteers. 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For -
Chicago Auxiliary Board Starts Dodgeball Tournament
The Chicago Auxiliary Board, which works to raise awareness of Hephzibah in the downtown Chicago area, started a dodgeball tournament on North Avenue Beach in order to raise funds for the group home. In 2011, the event raised over $10,000. Hephzibah Children's Association Dodgeball Tournament Website Photo Credit: Hephzibah Children's Association Dodgeball Tournament Website -
Hephzibah Travels to Washington D.C.
Twelve foster children living in Hephzibah's group home received a personal invitation from the White House to travel to Washington D.C. The group toured the city's tourist destinations such as the Lincoln Memorial, walked through the White House, and even met with President Barack Obama. Photo Credit: The White House Website
