Soon after the campus opened in 1925, The Village played a crucial role for Susan Ratzan’s family, long before Susan was even born.
Susan’s grandmother was a very resourceful woman, but being a single mother of two in 1926 was no easy task. She sought help from The Village that provided the support she needed to gain stability and ensure her daughters—Susan’s mother and aunt—had a happy and healthy childhood.
“I’m very appreciative of The Village supporting my grandmother as a single parent and getting my mother and her younger sister off to a good start,” shared Susan.
There are hundreds of families like Susan’s. The Village continued to welcome children who were orphaned during World War II, providing safety and shelter while helping to find them foster homes.
By the 1950s, The Village had built a reputation as a place where mothers could go to connect with services or have their baby adopted. Couples who wanted to adopt a baby also visited The Village’s campus.