Gateway (child & Family Services) history

In 1899, the Mercy Home built its first building at 11th Avenue and 22nd Street North, with funds from the city, county and private donations.

By 1906, the Mercy Home Board recognized the need for a statewide organization to advocate for the needs of Alabama's most vulnerable children.

Their successful momentum advocating for women and children continued, helping establish the first Alabama State Child Welfare Office in 1919.

In 1923, the Mercy Home became one of the first four community partners with the United Way of Central Alabama.

In 1929, the Mercy Home moved to its historic campus.

In January 1956, the committee was awarded a $90,000 grant by the Robert Meyer Foundation to finance a new agency for two years.

The Mercy Home changed its name to Gateway on April 30, 1968.

By 1972, Gateway and Family Counseling had recognized the need for a cooperative effort between the two agencies, since the problems of families and the problems of children were usually indelibly intertwined.

The United Appeal remained the principle source of funding for Gateway until 1975.

The Merger was accomplished under the new name Family and Child Services, and the united board of the new agency held its first meeting on April 19, 1977.

Since 1981 Gateway Children’s Services has provided an answer to this unfunded mandate by providing 24/7/365 emergency shelter to this at-risk and largely neglected population of Kentucky’s children.

The National Adoption Information Clearinghouse was created in 1988.

By 2002, Gateway had developed a number of programs to provide services to families and individuals in the greater Birmingham community and had outgrown its existing space.

Since 2006—when the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse merged with the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information—Information Gateway has had the privilege of serving as the go-to source for child welfare professionals, administrators, policymakers, and families.

In 2008, Gateway Children’s Services introduced our new cutting edge treatment program called Living It Up.