Wisconsin’s oldest philantropic organization

The Ladies Benevolent Society: Advocates for Older Adults (LBS), the oldest charitable organization in the state, has focused on helping those in need since it was founded in 1863.

For 102 years, from 1890 through 1992, the Society took care of older adults: first at the Home for the Friendless, then in a new resident home on North Main and beginning in 1974 at Evergreen.

Since the Ladies Benevolent Society’s first meeting, held during the Civil War in 1863 in the basement of the Congregational Church, LBS has been serving people who needed assistance.

At first they served the needs of the “worthy poor,” then the needs of women at any age, later just elderly women, and in 1989, they changed their constitution to focus on assistance on elderly men as well as women in the Oshkosh area.

Through the years, they have provided clothing, food and services to those in need and most notably ran a home for needy women from 1890 to 1974.

The society decided to begin raising money and making plans for a home as early as 1888.  The next year, they bought the Eighme homestead on North Main for $4000.  And in 1890, they held a charity ball at the Odd Fellows Hall and received donations of money, furniture and supplies for their first home, which opened under the name, The Home for the Friendless, the same year.  Two years later the name was changed to The Home.

Until the 20th century, LBS helped the needy through personal donations from members, proceeds from small fund raisers and in- kind contributions from businesses and then large social functions patronized by the general public.  By 1900, because of the example of good works they set in the community, helping the needy, they began to receive large gifts and bequests.

Senator Sawyer gave LBS a $5000 endowment and a $10,000 bequest.  In addition, the Mead property on High Street was bequeathed to the Society.

Later that year, LBS voted to build a new home for 20 residents on North Main Street.  They maintained this home for elderly women for 84 years!  In 1974 they made an agreement with Evergreen Manor to assume all obligations of the Society’s remaining 9 residents.

In 1999 LBS implemented a grant program in effort to meet the needs of more organizations in Oshkosh.  In 2005 LBS was established as a designated fund at the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation (OACF).  In 2007 it was decided that the assets of LBS: AOA will be managed by the OACF as a field of interest fund.  An advisory board was formed to oversee the granting process.

Our current advisory board is comprised of Dana Stolley, Sue Panek, Sue Kreibich, Christine Kniep, Judy Britton, Karen Boehning, Becky Brown, Karla Stark, and Caitlin Stolley.

The Ladies Benevolent Society: Advocates for Older Adults has remained steadfast in our mission of giving to older adults in the Oshkosh area for 160 years! Our granting program is thriving and reaching more older adults than ever before.