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Children First—Since 1885

In 1885, Portland’s civic leaders founded Boys & Girls Aid to find safe homes and permanent families for children with neither. More than 125 years later, we’re still making that happen. Boys & Girls Aid is dedicated to impacting the lives of children in need. To do this, we offer programs for children and youth that provide permanent homes and safe places to stay temporarily.

A History of Caring

It is no coincidence that Boys & Girls Aid was founded just two years after the transcontinental railroad reached Portland. Oregon’s only city at that time, the railway opened Portland’s doors to a growing and diverse population. Entrepreneurs, adventurers, and opportunists crowded Portland’s streets. And so did homeless children.

Portland’s leaders came together in search of a solution. Rather than employ the traditional orphanage model, these men broke with convention. Children, they asserted, thrive best within a family. Boys & Girls Aid was created.

Unique because of our history, experience, and vision, Boys & Girls Aid continues to take the lead in providing innovative programs for children and families in Oregon.

Celebrating 120 Years

In celebration of 120 years of service to children, Boys & Girls Aid, led by then Board President Mike Thayer, worked with local author and historian David Peterson Del Mar to publish “Through the Eyes of A Child.” The book provides a comprehensive look at the first 120 years of our agency’s history. There aren’t currently copies of the book available for purchase, but for more information about the book and when it will be available, please contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) at 503.542.2321.

 

 

Boys & Girls Aid is a 501(c)3 charity. The organization’s Federal Tax Identification Number is 93-0386791.