Celebrating 106 years of Advocacy and Caring for Children 1918-2024
Mission Statement
Association for Catholic Childhood, a volunteer organization, provides funding and advocacy for Western Washington children and families in need, regardless of race or creed. (2008)
What We Do
Advocacy and Caring for Children (ACC) is a group of committed women who support a network of programs focused on the needs of underserved children and families in an effort to improve their quality of life. For over 106 years, ACC members have remained faithful to the needs of children and families by providing financial and volunteer resources through steadfast partnerships with organizations across Western Washington.
ACC History
On December 12, 1918, with the blessings of Bishop Edward O’Dea, a group of Seattle’s Catholic women met for the first time to organize a program of social welfare on behalf of children and families in need. The Seattle Council of Catholic Women was founded by:
Our founders:
|
Florence Agen
Eleanor Beck Rae Blethen Anna Donahoe Josephine Graham |
Mary Jackson
Mary Kutzchawn Josephine McDermott Katherine Meloy Lilly Peabody |
Initially, these women cared for a few of the children themselves and were involved in their placement in adoptive homes and foster care. As the workload increased, they employed professional social workers to place and monitor the children, while they focused their efforts on raising money. Members gathered in small neighborhood groups to facilitate special projects, fund raising, and to sew layettes for the infants. In the early 1930’s the first “Circles” were formed.
- 1935 Seattle Council of Catholic Women became Catholic Women’s Child Welfare League (CWCWL).
- 1936 Bishop Gerald Shaughnessy began the move toward a more structured professional social service based program. Today known as Catholic Community Services (CCS) it is the largest private social service agency in Western Washington. CWCWL became less involved on the professional side but continued as a volunteer organization in support of CCS.
- 1942 CWCWL changed its name to Association for Catholic Childhood (ACC). That same year, ACC expanded its scope to include the entire Archdiocese of Seattle, encompassing all of Western Washington.
- 1948 ACC adopted as its logo the symbol of the Christ Child as the “Light of the World.”
- 1980 CCS expanded their programs to cover a broader array of social services. The members of ACC voted to continue their focus on children and families.
- 1997 ACC established a membership committee to recruit new members to ensure the continuation of ACC and its mission into the future. Six new Circles were formed and an additional 100 women became part of ACC and its work. Currently, there are 20 active Circles, with 600 members.
- 2002 ACC Endowment Fund was established to insure that our mission of providing for children and families will live on in perpetuity.
- 2008 the tag line For the Children…Caring and Advocacy Since 1918 was adopted.
- 2014 there are 20 active circles with 600 members.
- 2018 ACC changed its name to Advocacy and Caring for Children, and it’s tagline to: a Catholic association since 1918
- 2018 ACC Celebrated their 100 year anniversary