THE HISTORY OF SCO Family of Services

- A 107 Year Tradition of Caring and Giving -

SCO Family of Services has been providing shelter and care to people in need for more than 100 years. It all began in 1895, when a group of wealthy women established the Country Home for Convalescent Babies in Upstate New York.

Two years later, a new home was built on 14 acres in Sea Cliff, Long Island. The Bakers, Carnegies, Morgans, Phipps and Whitneys, in addition to many other prominent New York families, supported the facility that provided care for destitute New York children. During World War II, the facility closed briefly and then reopened in 1947 under the auspices of the Diocese of Brooklyn, when it was renamed St. Christopher's Home.

In 1891, the Ottilie Orphan Home for Children was founded in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. In 1901, the facility moved to Jamaica, Queens, and expanded its services to cover the daily needs of more than 200 children. In 1984, Ottilie was converted to a Residential Treatment Facility, providing care for adolescents with serious emotional needs and mild mental retardation.

In 1985, the Ottilie Home for Children and St. Christopher’s Home merged to form St. Christopher-Ottilie.  Since then, the agency has continued to grow and flourish.  In 1996, a second merger took place with Madonna Heights Services in Dix Hills, Long Island.  Madonna Heights provides a variety of programs for women and girls in need.

In 1999, St. Christopher-Ottilie merged with Family Dynamics, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of New York families, bringing an even greater number of programs for children and families.

As a reflection of the tremendous growth in the scope and range of our services, St. Christopher-Ottilie changed our name to SCO Family of Services in December 2004.  The new name was chosen to honor our rich heritage and promising future in the service of families.  SCO Family of Services captures the essence of whom we serve, how we collaborate as an organization, and what we offer the children and families of New York.

Today, SCO Family of Services provides a comprehensive and integrated array of services to children and families, as well as adults with special needs.

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