In 1903, the City of Chicago faced a terrifying reality — spiraling infant mortality rates due to a tainted milk supply.  That same year, the Chicago Milk Commission was formed and established 27 dispensing stations throughout the city to provide a safe source of milk.  Eight years later in 1911, the Commission was reorganized and incorporated as a private non-profit organization called the IWS Family Health.

Two years later in 1913, a group of civic-minded women from the Kenwood area in Chicago came together to support the work of the Infant Welfare Society, calling themselves the Kenwood Social Service Club.  Within the next several years, women in other parts of the city and suburbs expressed an interest in forming their own groups, and a Woman’s Auxiliary was established.  It included Kenwood, Glencoe, Hinsdale, Hubbard Woods, Winnetka, and Wilmette.  This was the beginning of an extraordinary organization — the Auxiliary of the IWS Family Health — and then as now, it reflects the spirit and sense of social responsibility that unite us.

In those early years, volunteering took the form of socials, teas, sewing and knitting groups, and hands-on involvement at stations throughout the area.  Giving their hands and hearts, our members weighed babies and assisted nurses during home visits, always mindful of the ultimate goal – saving infants’ lives.  Thanks, in part, to IWS’ ongoing efforts, the number of infant deaths dropped dramatically over the ensuing years.  That innovative, outcome-driven mindset continues to define the Infant Welfare Society to this day.

Many IWS initiatives and programs throughout the decades, such as the CHAT (Child-centered Health & Advanced Therapies) program, the dental clinic, women’s health care, pediatric care, and children’s mental health, bear the imprint of our diligent and dedicated members.  In addition, our members have contributed significantly to capital campaigns and build-outs at our former Halsted Street location in Lincoln Park as well as at our current facility, the Angel Harvey Family Health Center in Logan Square.

As our membership has grown over the years, so have our donations.  The Auxiliary’s first fundraiser in 1913, a tea sponsored by the Kenwood Social Service Club, recorded a $50 profit. Club members were very proud of their first foray in fundraising!  That event would prove to be the precursor of a fundraising juggernaut – our Auxiliary.

Now, we have more than 500 members in seven chapters located in the city and suburbs, and our organization has raised more than $142 million in today’s dollars.  We are amazed by this remarkable accomplishment and thankful for our members’ unwavering dedication.

Our volunteer support is often described as equal parts fundraising and “friendraising”.  Chapter benefits have left no stone unturned . . . from barn dances to barbecues, golf outings to galas, fashion shows to showhouses.  Each and every one is a testament to our hard-working and talented chapter members.  It is estimated that the Auxiliary’s total volunteer hours are in the millions – a number which astounds even us!

The Auxiliary is pleased and proud to have supported the Infant Welfare Society’s mission for over a century.  We regard ourselves as partners in this meaningful endeavor, providing vital financial and volunteer support to IWS as it cares for families in need.  It is an honor and a privilege.