The Bright Promises Foundation is a nonprofit organization providing services to disadvantaged children in

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

. Historically the organization was known as the Illinois Humane Society and supported

animal welfare Animal welfare is the quality of life and overall well-being of animals. Formal standards of animal welfare vary between contexts, but are debated mostly by animal welfare groups, legislators, and academics. Animal welfare science uses measures ...

History

The organization was founded as the Illinois Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in 1869. It was founded by Edwin Lee Brown and

John Clark Dore John Clark Dore (March 22, 1822 – December 14, 1900) was an American educator and politician from New Hampshire. A graduate of Dartmouth College, Dore briefly taught in Boston, Massachusetts before he was recruited to come to Chicago, Illinoi ...

with the help of

George T. Angell George Thorndike Angell (June 5, 1823March 16, 1909) was an American lawyer, philanthropist, and activist. He advocated for animal welfare, founding and serving as president of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. ...

, president of the

Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-Angell Animal Medical Center (MSPCA-Angell) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with its main headquarters on South Huntington Avenue in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Bo ...

.Pacyga, Dominic A. (2015). ''Slaughterhouse: Chicago's Union Stock Yard and the World It Made. University of Chicago Press''. pp. 98-99. The Society aimed to prevent cruelty to both children and animals, having legal jurisdiction throughout Illinois. In the 1870s, the Society investigated animal cruelty at the Union Stock Yards which resulted in arrests of individuals who did not feed or water livestock. It added children to its mission in 1877, changing its name to the Illinois Humane Society. In 1893 friends of the organization, including

Marshall Field Marshall Field (August 18, 1834January 16, 1906) was an American entrepreneur and the founder of Marshall Field's, Marshall Field and Company, the Chicago-based department stores. His business was renowned for its then-exceptional level of qua ...

Philip Armour Philip Danforth Armour Sr. (16 May 1832 – 6 January 1901) was an American meat packing industry, meatpacking industrialist who founded the Chicago-based firm of Armour & Company. Born on a farm in upstate New York, he initially gained financi ...

, and

George Pullman George Mortimer Pullman (March 3, 1831 – October 19, 1897) was an American engineer and industrialist. He designed and manufactured the Pullman (car or coach), Pullman sleeping car and founded a Pullman, Chicago, company town in Chicago for t ...

, purchased a home in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

to serve as the Society's headquarters. This building was later demolished, but a fixture from the building was removed and rehung at the new Polk Street offices of the Society's Children Service Division. The Society's official magazine, the ''Humane Advocate'' began publication in 1906. It was edited by Ruth Ewing.Coleman, Sydney H. (1924). ''Humane Society Leaders in America: With a Sketch of the Early History of the Humane Movement in England''. American Humane Association. p. 154 Edwin Lee Brown was the Society's first president, John C. Dore second, Richard P. Derickson third and John G. Shortall fourth. Shortall was elected president for 29 consecutive years. He was influential in the founding of the

American Humane Association The American Humane Society (previously American Humane), is an American animal welfare organization founded in 1877 that works to rescue, care for, and protect animals by taking action wherever and whenever they are in need. It was previously ...

. John L. Shortall succeeded his father as fifth president. As one of the first agencies in the United States to deal with

abused Abuse is the act of improper usage or treatment of a person or thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, ...

and

neglect In the context of caregiving, neglect is a form of abuse where the perpetrator, who is responsible for caring for someone who is unable to care for themselves, fails to do so. It can be a result of carelessness, indifference, or unwillingness and ...

ed children, the organization advocated for legislation to address child protection in the workplace and society. Its efforts to influence public opinion resulted in the creation of the Juvenile Court in

in 1899 and the Chicago Commission on Youth Welfare in the 1950s. It advocated for the registration of newborn infants, and crusaded against "distillery dairies" to ensure adequate supplies of wholesome milk. In the 1950s, the organization decided to focus on children exclusively. Its name changed to the Bright Promises Foundation in 2009. Historical records of the organization are archived at the

University of Illinois at Chicago The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) is a public research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its campus is in the Near West Side community area, adjacent to the Chicago Loop. The second campus established under the Universi ...

, and a collection of papers are at the Illinois State Historical Library in Springfield.

A fountain outside Mary McDowell Settlement House

There were few opportunities a century ago for

travelers Traveler(s), traveller(s), The Traveler, or The Traveller may refer to: People *Anyone engaged in travel Groups * Romani people, or Roma, or Gypsies, and their subgroups in various countries * Indigenous Norwegian Travellers * Irish Travellers ...

on the streets of

to obtain fresh

drinking water Drinking water or potable water is water that is safe for ingestion, either when drunk directly in liquid form or consumed indirectly through food preparation. It is often (but not always) supplied through taps, in which case it is also calle ...

. In 1877, the Illinois Humane Society began erecting public

drinking fountain A drinking fountain, also called a water fountain or water bubbler, is a fountain designed to provide drinking water. It consists of a basin with either continuously running water or a tap. The drinker bends down to the stream of water and s ...

s. They commissioned a design "both pleasing and practical" by which water would flow at three levels, for people at the top, then horses, and finally dogs and small animals near the ground level. The cost was

US$ The United States dollar (Currency symbol, symbol: Dollar sign, $; ISO 4217, currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and International use of the U.S. dollar, several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introdu ...

70 per fountain, plus $60 for a hookup to the city water pipes, including the services of a

plumber A plumber is a tradesperson who specializes in installing and maintaining systems used for potable (drinking) water, hot-water production, sewage and drainage in plumbing systems.

and

stonemason Stonemasonry or stonecraft is the creation of buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone as the primary material. Stonemasonry is the craft of shaping and arranging stones, often together with mortar and even the ancient lime mortar ...

. An undated fountain was outside the

Mary McDowell Mary Eliza McDowell (November 30, 1854 – October 14, 1936) was an American social reformer and prominent figure in the Chicago Settlement movement. Early life Mary Eliza McDowell was born on November 30, 1854, to Malcolm and Jane Welch G ...

Settlement House at 4630 S. McDowell Street, in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. Sixty-seven such fountains were maintained throughout the city at one time. One is still in use at the corner of Chicago Avenue and Michigan Avenue, opposite the

Water Tower A water tower is an elevated structure supporting a water tank constructed at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system, distribution system for potable water, and to provide emergency storage for fire protection. Water towe ...

; a second is on display at the Museum of Science and Industry.

Programs

The organization's website stated in October 2014 that its current focus is on reducing the effects of childhood trauma. "The Urban Youth Trauma Center (UYTC) at the

Institute for Juvenile Research addresses the needs of urban youth and families exposed to community violence by increasing access to trauma informed services."

References

External links

Official website

Humane Advocate
{{Animal welfare, state=collapsed Animal welfare organizations based in the United States Foundations based in the United States 501(c)(3) organizations Non-profit organizations based in Chicago

History

A fountain outside Mary McDowell Settlement House

Programs

See also

References

External links