History
1880 The Home of the Innocents was incorporated by a special legislative act on April 23, 1880. The Home was founded by Dr. James Taylor Helm to “provide for the comfort and care of poor families, children of working and destitute mothers, and protection of the latter.” The Home cared for infants, preschool children, and young mothers and their babies and could accommodate 8 children.
1972 The Home of the Innocents moved into a newly built facility at 505 East Chestnut St., which was designed to house up to 30 children. The Home agreed to take over the shelter care program for abused, abandoned and neglected children which had been provided by the County Government at Sunshine Lodge.
1975 At the request of Metro United Way, the Home of the Innocents assumed the pediatric nursing services formerly provided by the Jewish Home for Convalescent Children. In 2005, the Home created the Dr. Martin J. Harris Memorial Fund in honor of the late Dr. Harris, who spent countless hours donating his time to care for the children at the former Jewish Home for Convalescent Children.
1990 - 1993 The Home implemented the Pregnant and Parenting Teen Program, a three phase service including residential, transitional housing and aftercare. The service helps young mothers and their children gradually gain independence, parenting skills and self sufficiency.
1998 The Home implemented the Therapeutic Lovingfoster Care Program to train families for the care of emotionally and behaviorally challenged children. In September, the Pediatric Convalescent Center became accredited in Long Term Care and the Childkind Center in Behavioral Health by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
1999 H.O.S.T. House, which serves teenagers in Henry, Oldham, Shelby, and Trimble counties, entered into a new phase when it merged with Home of the Innocents. Both organizations shared a vision of helping youth in crisis and the merger allowed teens from the surrounding communities to stay in their own communities, learn to integrate into familiar surroundings and have a better chance of transitioning to adulthood.
1999 - 2000 The Home implemented the Home to Home Community Based Program to provide individualized treatment planning, intervention and case management in an intensive, structured environment for adolescent males and females. Services include residential, independent living, aftercare, and therapeutic support services and service coordination.
2001 Dedication of the first building complete at the new “children's village,” the Cralle-Day House, for parenting and non-parenting teen girls.

2003 Thanks to tremendous community support, the Home of the Innocents' Joan E. Thomas, M.D. children's village is dedicated. This 20-plus acre village provides much-needed space and amenities to meet the ever increasing needs of the community's vulnerable children. More pictures of village Schedule a tour
2004 Home begins providing short and long term care for abuse/neglect victims in southern Indiana. Before many of these children were removed from the homes and taken to facilities miles away. Today, these children can receive care without having to leave their familiar surroundings.
2004 Recognizing the need for services to autistic children and their families, the Home starts a new autism program. Today, our experienced staff is in-home and in-school support to over 30 children in the Louisville area.
2004 The Home's children's village receives the Phoenix Award. This award, given to only a handful of projects internationally, recognizes individuals and organizations that transform abandoned industrial areas into productive new ones. This marks the third time that Louisville has been recognized with a Phoenix Award, an accomplishment no other city has achieved. Louisville was awarded for its transformation of Waterfront Park and again for transforming the land for the creation of Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.
2005 Home of the Innocents enters its 125th year of being this community's open arms to kids in crisis.