Founded Aug. 31, 1859 by the Daughters of Charity, we meet the needs of children living in poverty through our accredited and licensed developmental childcare programs, available at our new Child Development facility at 1127 North Vandeventer in the City of St. Louis. Additionally, we provide emergency and direct assistance to families, seniors and individuals from our Hosea House site on Gravois. Social Service programs include senior services, food pantry, thrift store, Christmas program, Back To School programs and more.
Historical Timeline
- 1859
- Founded in Saint Louis, Missouri by the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, an order of Roman Catholic women religious, as the House of the Guardian Angel, to serve “orphaned and friendless girls over 12 years of age.”
- 1865
- Sponsorship of Agency transferred from the St. Louis Archdiocese to the Daughters of Charity.
- 1881
- Major renovation of the original Agency building at 1029 Marion completed.
- 1896
- The Great Cyclone of 1896 causes extensive damage to the Agency building.
- 1911
- Becomes one of the first Catholic Settlement Houses in the United States; governance transferred to a lay board of directors; the name is formally changed to Guardian Angel Settlement. A settlement house is an institution located within the community to which it provides assistance
- 1933
- Becomes a member of United Charities, the forerunner of the United Way of Greater Saint Louis.
- 1963
- To make way for a new City park, the agency moves to the Darst-Webbe public housing project on Saint Louis’ Near South Side.
- 1971
- Establishes the Saint Patrick Day Care Center at 1200 North Sixth Street on the Near North Side.
- 1981
- Establishes the De Sales Day Care Center at 2652 Iowa St.
- 1988
- Transfers its headquarters to 1022 Saint Ange Lane, the site of the former Holy Guardian Angel parish.
- 1992
- Social Services Department expands into the adjacent former school building.
- 2000
- St. Patrick Day Care Center is closed and Gabriel Child Care Center is opened in the Cochran Community Center.
- 2001
- Takes over the operations and management of Hosea House, a 25-year-old social agency.
- 2007
- Begins fundraising efforts for the new Child Development Center.
- 2009
- Groundbreaking for Child Development Center occurs on Feb. 19, 2009.
- 2009
- Agency celebrates 150th anniversary of serving the poor in St. Louis, August 31, 2009.
- 2009
- Ribbon cutting for Child Development Center (current headquarters location) occurs on October 29, 2009.
