Our History
“I have begun my work. I have two boys, ages six and seven.”
This message—written by Oak Park’s Mary Wessels on a postcard addressed to a friend in 1897—is one of the few remaining records of Hephzibah’s beginnings more than a century ago.
Not long after Wessels sent this postcard, a local orphanage was destroyed by fire and she opened her home and her heart to a dozen more children. She named her fledgling children’s home “Hephzibah,” after her own mother.
Learn More about Hephzibah
Read the latest news and stories about Hephzibah.
Hephzibah Salutes Our Exceptional Essential Heroes
Hephzibah is Growing to Meet Needs of Children and Families During Pandemic
Helping the Kids of Hephzibah Home Succeed at Remote Learning
2020 Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors Tackles Equity and Justice
New Cookbook, “A Gift of Cookies,” Benefits Hephzibah
2020 Sibling Camp Cancelled Due to COVID-19
Your Donation Will Impact a Child's Life.
Upcoming Info Sessions