FSW
475 Clinton Avenue
Bridgeport, CT 06605
Tel: 203-368-4291
Fax: 203-368-1239
Fact Sheet
- 1849 Sterling Home of Bridgeport established to shelter needy widows.
- 1865 Ladies' Relief Society, which had aided Civil War Soldiers, voted to use remaining funds - $985 – "to benefit destitute children".
- 1868 Connecticut General Assembly charted Bridgeport Protestant Orphan Asylum "to relieve, support and educate friendless and destitute children".
- 1870 Orphan Asylum opened at 119 Lafayette Street, Bridgeport.
- 1935 Orphan Asylum moved to new building at 1899 Stratfield Road, Fairfield. Name changed to Woodfield Children's Village.
- 1936 Woodfield's assets valued at over $380,000. Services included institutional and foster care, adoption and services to unmarried parents.
- 1968 Bridgeport Family Service merged with Family Service Society of Fairfield to become Family Service Society of Eastern Fairfield County. Both agencies provided family and individual counseling; Bridgeport agency also had a homemaker service.
- 1972 Woodfield merged with Family Service Society of Eastern Fairfield County to become Family Services Woodfield, Inc.
- 1978 Woodfield property sold to developers for $1,255,000.
- 1981 FSW licensed as a Home Health Agency.
- 1985 FSW licensed as an Outpatient Psychiatric Clinic for adults.
- 1987 FSW launched Capital Campaign to raise $1,100,000 for new headquarters.
- 1988 FSW relocated to 475 Clinton Avenue, Bridgeport.
- 1990 The volunteer AIDS Buddy Program, formerly a program of the Greater Bridgeport AIDS Project, became part of FSW.
- 1994 FSW selected as manager of Fairfield Senior Center by the Town of Fairfield.
- 1995 FSW merged with Sterling Home of Bridgeport.
- 1996 FSW's 475 Clinton Avenue headquarters named Sterling Family Center.
- 1997 Bridge Fund of Connecticut was begun to prevent homelessness.
- 1998 Launched $2 million capital campaign to expand facility and services. Deaf Sign Language Interpreter Service begun.
- 2000 FSW's building expansion completed.
- 2001 FSW declared Community Development Financial Institution by U.S. Treasury Dept.
- 2002 FSW licensed as an Outpatient Psychiatric Clinic for children.
- 2003 Agency budget surpassed $10 million mark.
- 2003 Literacy Volunteers of Southeastern Fairfield County merged with FSW.
- 2003 FSW is beneficiary of 23rd Annual Fairfield Christmas Tree Festival.
- 2003 Board of Directors shortened Agency name to “FSW” and adopted tagline “Family Services Working To Strengthen Our Communities”.
- 2003 Agency direct service client base surpassed 23,000 individuals, with services impacting more than 50,000 people statewide.
- 2004 FSW selected by Annie E. Casey Foundation as “2004 Families Count” Award Winner. Agency receives this unsolicited recognition for its long history of helping to strengthen families and communities in the greater Bridgeport area. First Connecticut non-profit to receive “Families Count” recognition and one of only 31 Agencies across the nation so recognized.
