ASSOCIATION FOR CATHOLIC CHILDHOOD

 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:

 

Mrs. John B. Agen                               Mrs. John N. Jackson

Mrs. Broussais Beck                            Mrs. Mary Kutzchawn

Mrs. Clarence B. Blethen                     Mrs. Frank McDermott

Mrs. Michael Donahoe                                     Miss Katherine Meloy

Mrs. J.S.G. Graham                              Mrs. Charles E. Peabody

 

Initially, these women cared for the children themselves and were involved in their placement in adoptive homes and foster care.  As the workload increased, they employed professional childcare workers to tend to the children, while they focused their efforts on raising money.  In the late 1920’s the first “Circles” were formed. Members gathered in small neighborhood groups to facilitate special projects, fund raising, and to sew layettes for the infants. 

 

∙ 1935 Seattle Council of Catholic Women became Catholic Women’s Child Welfare League (CWCWL).

 

∙ 1937 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 insure 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.

 

Throughout the years, the mission of Association for Catholic Childhood has remained constant. The members continue the work, begun in 1918, of assisting children and families in need. In 2008-2009 through fundraising activities, volunteering and advocacy, ACC was able to award $153,880 in grants to 20 agencies in Western Washington located from Bellingham to Grays Harbor. In the last ten years the total amount granted by ACC is over $1,255,000.

                            

                             All Children Count