History

1913

Volunteers began distributing milk to impoverished families with infants and toddlers.

1918

The Society opened prenatal and pediatric health clinics in Evanston and provided home visits from nurses for disadvantaged families. Infant mortality in Evanston was reduced from 60 deaths per 1,000 births to 2.

1946

Incorporation of IWSE formally separated the organization from Infant Welfare Society of Chicago to solely focus on Evanston.

1971

IWSE opened Baby Toddler Nursery, the very first licensed child care center for infants and toddlers in the State of Illinois and one of the first in the nation.

1989

IWSE opened Teen Baby Nursery, to provide care, early education, and early intervention to the children of teen parents enrolled in the local high school. Our innovative program has met huge success in keeping teens in school until they graduate.

1999

IWSE began a partnership with the Childcare Network of Evanston and Evanston Child Care Center to provide Early Head Start child care services to the Evanston community in support of our area’s most impoverished families.

2005

IWSE founded the Family Support Program to provide intensive, weekly home visits, prenatal education, crisis management and developmental evaluations for families who are living in poverty and at-risk in our area.

2014

IWSE began a strategic Early Head Start partnership with Evanston School District 65 as their delegate agency and partner improving classroom based services to our most vulnerable population.

2016

IWSE developed an opportunity to expand their Family Support services into Skokie/ Morton Grove with School District 69 writing a joint five-year application and being awarded 4.3 million dollars in conjunction with District 69 creating the Ready for Success Prenatal- 5yr old continuity model.

Today

IWSE continues to help parents build skills to support a successful family and allowing children to thrive in an environment that supports education, social emotional learning and brain development.