History & Heritage
Yesterday
In 1915, members of the order of the Daughters of Charity opened the DePaul Day Nursery and Settlement House to care for the children of neighborhood women forced to work while their husbands served in World War I.
During 1923, a settlement house was built. By 1924 the roof top playground was constructed so that the children could play outdoors. By 1938 two major brick sections of the center were built. In 1958 the Gym was built and the Nearly New Shop opened.
In 1971 a playground on Halsted and Webster was added and in 1972 the Senior Services Program began. Also in 1972, the settlement house merged with St. Vincent Infant Asylum, a 100-year-old residential facility for orphaned children. The merged facility was renamed St. Vincent de Paul Center. In 1975 the first Infant/toddler Day care Program in the City of Chicago was established.
In 1980 the renovation of the chapel created five new pre-school classrooms and the Homeless Outreach Program was established. In 1986 the Young Expressions began providing art therapy for the children.
Throughout the decades, St. Vincent de Paul Center has responded to the needs of the community it serves by expanding its services and facility. In 2002, a new facility, located at Webster and Halsted, was constructed.
Today
St. Vincent de Paul Center, one of Illinois’ largest single-site non-profit child care centers, provides quality child care for children of Chicago’s working families.
The Child Development Program is licensed to serve 478 children.
The center employs three master’s level social workers who provide behavioral assessment, limited individual and family counseling, intervention, and referral services.
The Homeless Outreach Program serves men and women who are in need of food, clothing, and referrals for job training and employment opportunities.
The Senior Services Program provides limited counseling and referral services to older adults at risk, who need assistance with daily living.
Tomorrow
With the Daughters of Charity, St. Vincent de Paul Center’s staff is committed to being a leading provider of holistic services that strengthen and empower children and their families, seniors, and the homeless to reach their greatest potential for years to come.
