Augustana Hospital Auxiliary Records

The Auxiliary was founded in 1906 to support Augustana Hospital (named The Deaconess Institute of the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church until 1924). The hospital opened in 1884 on the corner of Lincoln and Cleveland Avenues in Chicago. In an effort to increase support of the hospital, Pastor M. Wahlstrom of Messiah Lutheran Church established the Auxiliary with the name of Messiah Hospital Society. The group’s first president, Mrs. Theodore Freeman, presided over quarterly meetings in various members’ houses. The name was changed to the Augustana Hospital Society in 1910 and in 1937 to the Augustana Hospital Auxiliary. The professed purpose of the group was “to help give free care to patients not able to pay, thus performing a mission of Christian service.” The Auxiliary supported the hospital through volunteer service and fundraising. Activities included the Coffee and Gift Shop, sponsored events, and annual benefit programs including ice shows, concerts and fashion shows.