A Century-old Tradition of Caring for Children

Today, EMQ has evolved into California's leading provider of mental health services for troubled children and adolescents and their families. It provides a broad continuum of mental health services, including residential treatment, school-based day treatment, 24-hour crisis intervention, community-based wraparound care, child sexual abuse treatment, therapeutic foster care and substance abuse prevention/education, as well as outpatient and in-home services.

Since 1867, EMQ Children & Family Services has brought hope to troubled children. Although our name and services have changed over the years, our mission remains the same.

EMQ traces its roots to two organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area that shared the goal of making the world a better place for children:

• The Home of Benevolence in San Jose, California - the city's first orphanage (later known as Eastfield Children's Center).
• The Presbyterian Mission Home in San Francisco - a rescue mission for Chinese girls (later known as Ming Quong Children's Center).

The Home of Benevolence is Created

1867 - The Ladies Benevolent Society was founded in response to a challenge from J.J. Owen, publisher and editor of the San Jose Weekly Mercury newspaper:

"A suggestion to the philanthropic women of San Jose . . . Destitute children could be gathered in from the by-ways and gutters of town, decently clothed, provided with suitable books and sent to school."

The Ladies Benevolent Society became the first charitable organization in Santa Clara County.

1874 - Stephen Morey bequeathed his small ranch near downtown San Jose to the Society, and pioneer and philanthropist James Lick set aside a fund of $25,000 to endow an orphanage there. Earnings from this fund were later given to the Ladies Benevolent Society to build and operate the city's first orphanage.

Located on Morey Ranch property at Martha and 11th Streets, the Home of Benevolence opened in the mid-1880s. By 1889, 110 children lived there.

1890s - The Society added a hospital and a second story to the orphanage. When the "Big Quake" struck in 1906, the Society was in the process of preparing for repairs and improvements to the structure. The main building was torn from its foundation. Ninety-five children escaped injury but spent the next 3-1⁄2 months in tents while the home was rebuilt.

1951 - Under the direction of Home Superintendent Mae Dailey, the orphanage changed its name to Eastfield Children's Home. It was located on the east side of downtown San Jose next to a large field.

1955 - When foster homes were introduced causing the number of applicants to the orphanage to drop significantly, Eastfield's Board of Directors commissioned the Child Welfare League of America to do a study re-examining community needs. Based on the results, the board decided to redirect its services to help children with mental and emotional disturbances and their families. Eastfield became a residential treatment center.

1958 - The center moved from its building in San Jose about 10 miles southwest to its present location. The smaller, cottage-like buildings in Campbell, Calif. were more conducive to residential treatment than the former institutional facility.

The Ming Quong Rescue Mission – A "Radiant Light" for Children

From the 1850s through the turn of the century, young Chinese girls were purchased or kidnapped in China by the Tong and sold in San Francisco's Chinatown as wives, concubines, prostitutes or household slaves.

1874 - A group of Presbyterian women banded together in an effort to rescue and protect the girls. The Presbyterian Church joined the crusade and built the Presbyterian Mission Home in Chinatown at 920 Sacramento Street in San Francisco. Here the girls were rescued, protected, educated and nourished.

"Ming Quong, the name chosen for the home, translated 'radiant light,' (from Cantonese) was the only institution in the U.S. to admit Chinese children, since most forbid this practice." - The San Jose Business Journal, Nov. 1992.

1895 - At the age of 25, Donaldina Cameron came to the Mission Home to teach the girls to sew. She stayed for 40 years, dedicating her life's work to rescuing and rehabilitating the girls. Donaldina is credited with saving more than 3,000. In the end, with support she enlisted from the church and civic groups, she helped put an end to the "yellow slave" trade.

1906 - When the Big Quake hit, Ming Quong was all but destroyed. Not severely damaged by the quake, it fell victim to the dynamiting of surrounding blocks to stop fires from spreading to its exclusive Nob Hill neighbors. Donaldina, now its director, moved her 60 girls to Oakland while the home was rebuilt.

1925 - Donaldina opened a separate custodial home in Oakland for orphaned Chinese girls who came from troubled or needy homes.

1935 - Ming Quong started another orphanage for younger girls in the hills of Los Gatos, Calif. on what was formerly the summer estate of the Spreckles family of sugar fame. This site is still used by EMQ today.

1953 - Fewer applicants were being received because Chinese children, who previously were not allowed in county foster homes, were being accepted. As a result, Ming Quong opened its doors to boys and enrolled needy children of all races and creeds. It became an independent agency from the Presbyterian Church and then evolved into a residential treatment facility for children with emotional disturbances.

Eastfield and Ming Quong Join Forces

1987 - Eastfield Children's Center and Ming Quong Rescue Mission merged to become Eastfield Ming Quong.

1992 - The Kids Are Special drug and alcohol abuse prevention/education program (now known as Addiction Prevention Services) was added.

1999 - EMQ acquired San Jose-based child sexual abuse treatment pioneer Giarretto Institute, broadening its continuum and giving children and families access to therapeutic foster family services in eleven counties in Northern and Central California. During 1999, EMQ also opened Wraparound Sacramento, providing its innovative wraparound services to children and families in the Sacramento area. The service was developed in partnership with River Oak Center for Children and Stanford Home.

2002 - EMQ expanded into Southern California, opening a Wraparound program in San Bernardino County.

EMQ Merges with Hollygrove