▁was ▁Rach el ▁Cap en ▁Mer ri am . ▁ ▁The ▁home ▁respond ed ▁to ▁problems ▁facing ▁women ▁and ▁children ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War ▁era . ▁ ▁On ▁April ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 8 6 5 , ▁the ▁home ▁received ▁its ▁incorpor ation ▁from ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁of ▁Massachusetts . ▁ ▁A ▁“ well ▁built ▁and ▁comm od ious ▁house ” ▁on ▁Union ▁Street ▁was ▁purchased . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Article ▁ 2 ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 8 6 5 ▁Constitution , ▁the ▁“ object ▁of ▁this ▁institution ▁shall ▁be ▁to ▁provide ▁a ▁temporary ▁home ▁for ▁friend less ▁and ▁dest itute ▁women ▁and ▁children ; ▁and ▁to ▁give ▁them ▁employ ment ▁and ▁instruction ▁with ▁the ▁ult imate ▁design ▁of ▁providing ▁for ▁them ▁a ▁more ▁permanent ▁situation , ▁or ▁fitting ▁them ▁to ▁maintain ▁themselves .” ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁its ▁first ▁year ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 8 6 6 , ▁forty ▁women ▁and ▁twenty ▁children ▁had ▁received ▁services ▁from ▁the ▁Home ▁for ▁Friend less ▁Women ▁and ▁Children . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 6 , ▁the ▁Massachusetts ▁Legisl ature ▁was ▁asked ▁to ▁allocate ▁$ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁to ▁the ▁organization ▁which ▁was ▁granted ▁with ▁the ▁provision ▁that ▁the ▁community ▁in ▁Spring field ▁provide ▁a ▁match ▁of ▁funds ▁through ▁private ▁don ations . ▁ ▁The ▁community ▁raised ▁$ 2 , 1 2 3 . 9 1 ▁along ▁with ▁more ▁tang ible ▁don ations ▁such ▁as ▁fl our ▁and ▁clothes . ▁ ▁The ▁home ▁came ▁to ▁be