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.
Michelle Durpetti Pays it Forward
One Block, Big Impact: 9/11 LemonAid Support Benefits Camp HepSIBah
Hephzibah Receives Grant from the Chicago Bears
Western Auxiliary Launches New Junior Auxiliary
It’s the Season for Swanksgiving
Back To School Supplies a Lifesaver for Hephzibah Families
Hephzibah healing leaves a lasting impression
Highlights from our 2020-2021 Annual Report
Helping Oak Park families survive pandemic parenting
Your Donation Will Impact a Child's Life.
Upcoming Info Sessions