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New York Foundling Hospital (Photo from unknown source)
After the Civil War one of the most gripping of New York's social problems was the abandonment of infants in the streets of the City. Poverty, immigration, inadequate housing, and a financial depression were the factors which made abandonment in ever present evil.
In 1869, it had no longer become an item of news, or even of interest, to find an abandoned infant on the doorsteps of a rich family, in the hallway of a tenement, o at the entrance to a convent. St. Peter's Convent on Barclay Street was a favorite refuge of distraught mothers and very often the Sisters on opening their door in the morning, would find a tiny waif deposited on the doorstep.
Sister Mary Irene, of St. Peter's Convent called the attention of Mother Mary Jerome, the Superior of the Sisters Charity, to the need of rescuing these children. When the matter was as placed before Archbishop (afterwards Cardinal) McCloskey, he not only sanctioned the plan of providing an asylum for the care of abandoned children, but urged the Sisters to put this plan into execution. Accordingly Mother Mary Jerome directed Sister Irene to make a beginning. With only $5.00 as capital, but with undaunted courage and unlimited faith and confidence in God, Sister Irene undertook the work.
On October 8, 1869 the New York Foundling Asylum of the Sisters of Charity, in the City of New York was incorporated. Three days later on October 11th, the Feast of the Maternity of Our Lady, Sister Irene and her two companions, Sister Teresa Vincent and Sister Ann Aloysia, moved into a small house at 17 East 12th Street. Although they expected to spend three months in preparing for the opening of the institutions, an infant was laid on the door -step that very first night. Before January 1, 1870, the proposed opening date, they had received 12! babies.
Within a year, a larger house at 3 Washington Square was secured. Soon this also proved to be inadequate. In 1870, the State Legislature authorized the City to grant a site for a new building, and appropriated $100,000 toward its erection on condition that a similar amount be raised for the same purpose by private contributions.
Sister Irpnfi at nnr.e set tn work tn take advantane nf this heln and nrnani7ed a r.nmmittee amonnst snme nf the