Aiding Orphans and Widows

Aiding Orphans and Widows. . , Eva Carroll Monroe (1868-1950) was devoted to helping some of spring field's most at - risk citizens - African American orphans and widowed women. She performed her work during a time when government aid was sparse and there often was little concern about the welfare of people of color. , After the death of her mother, family circumstances left 12-year-old Eva in charge of caring for her six siblings in Kewanee, Illinois. , Monroe later moved to Springfield, where she became a probation officer. The position gave her a measure of professional standing in the community and allowed her to hone her skills at helping others. In 1898, she founded the Lincoln Colored Home, which provided a safe haven for homeless African American orphans and widows. , The practical experience in childcare and management that Monroe had gained enabled her to successfully operate the Lincoln Colored Home on a limited budget. In 1899, Monroe helped found the Springfield Colored Women's Club, which provided support for the Lincoln Colored Home and other social service programs. She later became president of the Illinois Federation of Colored Women's Clubs. , Over the years, government funding to help the less fortunate grew significantly along with mandates for licensing and training. This made it harder for institutions such as the Lincoln Colored Home to thrive, and it ultimately lost its license and closed in 1933 after more than 30 years of service. , Eva Camill Monroe, who had devoted her life to the service of others, died at a home for the elderly in Quincy, Illinois. , The Lincoln Colored Home , The Lincoln Colored Home embodied Eva Carroll Monroe's efforts to provide social service to Springfield's African American community. , Monroe and her sister, Olive Price, founded the home in 1898. It initially provided shelter and care for four children and one elderly woman and was housed in a dilapidated building, Monroe's energy brought donations of food, furniture, and other goods, transforming the operation into the first orphanage in Sangamon County dedicated to aiding African Americans. , In 1904, the home occupied a new building, made possible with the help of Mary A. Lawrence, wife of a former Springfield mayor. Lawrence retained ownership of the property, but guaranteed Monroe the right to occupy the building as long as it sheltered African American children. Soon her the home opened Lawrence died, depriving it of a generous friend and an important bridge to Springfield's white community. , Eva Carroll Mon continued to operate the home, receiving community donations and some funding from the Springfield Council of Social Agencies. , She took any colored child in need working to place each to a foster home or another safe environment, according to a review of charities published in 1915.