Description
The records of Travelers
Aid Society of San Francisco document the organization's activities from its founding in 1914, through its transition to Compass
Community Services in 1995, and up to 2004. The bulk of the collection covers the years 1940-1989, providing insight into
the organization's shifting mission in response to changing social conditions. The collection contains board and committee
minutes and reports, correspondence, training manuals, subject files, and scrapbooks.
Background
The origins of the Travelers
Aid Society of San Francisco date back to 1893, when it was founded as a department of the Young Women's Christian Association
(YWCA). In 1914, it became an independent organization dedicated to assisting travelers drawn by the Panama-Pacific International
Exposition (PPIE) in San Francisco. Part of the National Travelers
Aid Association, a nationwide collection of societies located in most major US cities, Travelers
Aid Society of San Francisco sought to protect stranded people, especially women and children, from abuse or victimization upon
arrival in urban centers. Though many Travelers
Aid programs were started by religious groups, the society is the oldest non-sectarian social welfare organization in the United
States.
Extent
3 cartons, 2 boxes, 1 flat box
(4.75 cubic ft.)
Restrictions
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts and archives must be submitted in writing to the City Archivist.
Availability
This collection is open for research. Access to psychiatric staff meeting minutes in Series 1, Subseries B are restricted
until 2085; copies of these files with names redacted are open for research.