A History of Travelers Aid

The Travelers Aid movement began in the mid-19th Century on the banks of the Mississippi River. The community of St. Louis was struggling to help travelers headed west through their city. People came west to explore the wide-open frontier, and maybe even to find gold in the hills of California. 

Unreliable stagecoach schedules, cholera and unexpected delays in the journey often left travelers without the resources for basic human necessities like food and medicine. It was a time when medical and other community services were largely restricted to residents. 

Travelers had to rely on the kindness of strangers during their arduous journey. St. Louis, under the leadership of Mayor Bryan Mullanphy, struggled to help provide services to these American pioneers and who became stranded on their journey to a new life. Travelers Aid Society was born when Mullanphy left half a million dollars in his will to help "aid travelers going west."

"No One is a Stranger Here"
It wasn't long before his vision spread and Travelers Aid Societies opened throughout the country. One of the leaders to emerge was Ms. Grace Hoadley Dodge, who became known as the "founder of modern Travelers Aid services." In a time when social services were distributed along religious and racial lines, Ms. Dodge maintained the strong belief that aid should be nonsectarian, and available without regard to "age, race, creed, class or sex and without fee or gratuity."

Serving Youth
In 1983 Travelers Aid Society of Los Angeles opened Teen Canteen to reach to a growing and vulnerable population of homeless, runaway, and abandoned youth. The first such center in Hollywood, Teen Canteen offers a safe environment and an opportunity for youths to discover the positive alternatives available to them.

Today, TASLA operates two adult service centers at the PATH Regional Homeless Center, and at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), as well as Teen Canteen. Over 300 volunteers maintain eleven Information Centers at LAX and Union Station.

Travelers Aid Society of Los Angeles is a United Way of Greater Los Angeles supported agency and a member of Travelers Aid International, a network of Travelers Aid societies across the nation.

To learn more about Travelers Aid see A Century of Service.