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History
Founded in 1857 as the Chicago Relief and Aid Society, the agency assisted families when approximately one-fifth of the city's labor force was unemployed. Later the agency played a major role in the rehabilitation of the city after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 by distributing more than $10 million worth of goods and supplies to aid the families of Chicago and re-establish the business community.
The Panic of 1893, the worst depression the city has known, represented another monumental challenge for social service agencies. In response, a number of smaller agencies joined together to form the Chicago Bureau of Charities. The Bureau centralized the registration of information on cases to record results and prevent duplication in dispensing relief.
Fifteen years later, the Chicago Relief & Aid Society and the Chicago Bureau of Charities merged to form United Charities of Chicago. For the first time, volunteer "friendly visitors" were replaced by paid professional staff. By 1909 United Charities was operating out of a general office and 11 district offices with the support of district committees.
During the Great Depression of 1929, United Charities and other social agencies became overwhelmed with demands of needy families. United Charities gave leadership to the passage of the national Social Security Act and the development of the Community Fund of Chicago, now known as the United Way/Crusade of Mercy.
In 1995, to better reflect the work of the organization and community it serves, United Charities changed its name to Metropolitan Family Services.
Today, Metropolitan Family Services' mission remains largely the same as it was 150 years ago: to help Chicago-area families realize their amazing strength.
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