Descriptive inventory for the Foundation for Developmentally Disabled Children records, 1929-1991, bulk 1945-1988

Folder 6 from box 1 is closed until 2059 and has been removed to a restricted storage area.

Copyright may be retained by the creators of items, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States coyright law, unless otherwise noted.

Materials were a gift from The Foundation for Developmentally Disabled Children (accession #: 1989.0775).

Foundation for Developmentally Disabled Children records (Chicago History Museum) plus a detailed description, date, and box/folder number of a specific item.

Meeting minutes, financial records, committee reports, newsletters, correspondence, publicity and fundraising materials, scrapbooks, and other records of the Foundation for Developmentally Disabled Children (FDDC) and its predecessor organizations affiliated with Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago (Ill.) since the 1920s to support treatment and research to help children with disabilities. Over the years, the organization extended its scope to include adults with disabilities as the children it sought to help became adults. Much of the collection pertains to fundraising events, including luncheons and dinner dances. When the organization changed names in 1991, it expanded to fund agencies beyond Michael Reese Hospital.

The Foundation for Developmentally Disabled Children (FDDC) was founded in 1926 in association with the Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago (Ill.). The purpose of the organization was to raise money to support treatment and research to help children with disabilities. Originally known as the Dorothy Kahn Club for Crippled Children, the FDDC was also known as the Dorothy Kahn Club for Spastic Children, the Spastic Children's Center, and the Dysfunctioning Child Center of Michael Reese Hospital and Developmental Institute. In 1991, the organization became known as the Foundation for Developmentally Disabled Children and expanded to fund agencies beyond the Michael Reese Hospital; it was renamed the Special Kids Foundation in 2006. Over the years, the mission of the organization grew to support services for special needs children and their families.

Related materials at Chicago History Museum, Research Center, include publications cataloged separately under the various names of the organization over the years.

Processed with funding provided by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Language note: Historical material often contains violent acts, offensive language or negative stereotypes reflecting the culture and language of a particular period or place. These items are presented as part of the historical record. The Chicago History Museum has an institution-wide initiative to critically consider the language used to describe people and materials, and we invite you to read more about our related projects: https://libguides.chicagohistory.org/research/criticalcataloging

• Names
  • Foundation for Developmentally Disabled Children--Archives
  • Dorothy Kahn Club for Crippled Children (Chicago, Ill.)
  • Dorothy Kahn Club for Spastic Children (Chicago, Ill.)
  • Dysfunctioning Child Center (Chicago, Ill.)
  • Michael Reese Hospital
  • Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center
  • Spastic Children's Center (Chicago, Ill.)
• Subject
  • Charities--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
  • Child welfare--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
  • Children with disabilities--Services for--Illinois--Chicago--Societies, etc.
  • Developmentally disabled children--Services for--Illinois--Chicago--Societies, etc.
  • Fund raising--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
  • People with disabilities--Services for--Illinois--Chicago--Societies, etc.
• Geographic CoverageChicago (Ill.)--Social conditions--20th century

The collection is arranged in four series.

Series 1. Administrative records, 1929-1991 (box 1-4)

Consists of correspondence, meeting agendas and minutes, committee reports, membership lists, constitution, by-laws, and other administrative records of the FDDC. Present are newsletters; transcripts of speeches from FDDC events, including meetings, luncheons, dinner dances, and Young People's Division programs; as well as photographs of events. Also includes correspondence, financial records, and committee meeting minutes of the Coordinated Program for Handicapped Children.

Series 2. Financial records, 1933-1991 (box 5-9)

Contains committee and treasurers' reports, revenue statements, an audit report (1926-1928), and other financial records of the FDDC and its predecessors. Some materials pertain to fundraising activities such as dinner dances and greeting card sales. Also present are annual reports of the Michael Reese Hospital.

Series 3. Printed materials, ca. 1950-1990 (box 10)

Contains brochures, publicity materials, and other printed matter pertaining to the FDDC and its predecessors and Michael Reese Hospital. A majority of the series consists of newspaper articles about FDDC events, organizational changes, and patients. Also included is correspondence about publicity materials.

Series 4. Scrapbooks, 1978-1983 (vols. 1-2)

Consists of two scrapbooks. One scrapbook (1982-1983) contains photographs, newsletters, event programs, and invitations pertaining to the Young People's Division. The other scrapbook (1978) includes planning materials, correspondence, budgets, and invitations related to a dinner dance event.