Our History

Our History

Over a Century of Healthcare

In 1911,
a series of “milk stations” were established across Chicago to provide nutritional support in order to combat high rates of infant mortality. The “milk stations” evolved into well-child clinics, and IWS continued to grow and innovate.
In 1912,
the Auxiliary formed to support the work of the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago. In 2012, the Auxiliary celebrated 100 years of service to IWS, raising 10s of millions of dollars over one century.
In 1924,
IWS pioneered and incorporated child development and behavioral health counseling.
In 1968,
IWS brought on two psychiatric social workers.
In 1970,
IWS led community health clinics by offering pediatric dentistry services.
In 1991,
IWS began offering pediatric orthodontic care and in 1995, offering pediatric optometry.
In 2015,
IWS launched the Child-centered Health and Advanced Therapies (CHAT) program to provide assessments for developmental delays in children from low-income family, as well as early access to both speech and occupational therapy.
In 2017,
IWS began serving men in the adult health program and incorporated a Care Coordination model to connect patients with necessary treatments and social services.
In 2018,
IWS launched a Centering Pregnancy™ program, a group prenatal program.
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Our Story . . .

Watch the video to see a glimpse into our story, and click the button below to get in-depth details of how we got started, where we’ve been, and where we’re headed!

Over a Century of Healthcare

We have led innovative community-based preventive healthcare for over 100 years, designed from the beginning to provide Chicago’s most vulnerable families and communities with access to affordable health care.

In 1911, a series of “milk stations” were established across Chicago to provide nutritional support in order to combat high rates of infant mortality. The “milk stations” evolved into well-child clinics, and IWS continued to grow and innovate.

In 1924, IWS pioneered and incorporated child development and behavioral health counseling.

In 1968, IWS brought on two psychiatric social workers.


In 1970, IWS led community health clinics by offering pediatric dentistry services.

In 1991, IWS began offering pediatric orthodontic care and in 1995, offering pediatric optometry.

In 2015, IWS launched the Child-centered Health and Advanced Therapies (CHAT)  program to provide low-income children early access to developmental delays assessment, and both speech and occupational therapy. In 2017, IWS began serving men in the adult health program and incorporated a Care Coordination model to connect patients with necessary treatments and social services.

In 2018, IWS launched a Centering Pregnancy™ program, a group prenatal program.

IWS provides a healthcare home where the whole family has access to integrated and coordinated healthcare and social services, allowing them to thrive and meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.


Dr. Tara Ioffe

Family Practice

Dr. Tara Ioffe is a dedicated and compassionate Board-Certified Family Medicine physician with a strong commitment to providing excellent care to her patients. She obtained her medical degree from Avalon University in Curacao and went on to complete her Family Medicine Residency at the University of Oklahoma. She has worked at the University of Chicago and most recently NorthShore University. She has since returned to Chicago and is thrilled to join the IWS Family Health team in 2023, where she will continue to provide excellent care to her patients.

Throughout her career, Dr. Ioffe has gained experience in diverse medical fields, such as immediate and urgent care medicine while working at NorthShore Immediate Care. She did clinical research at the University of Chicago. Dr. Ioffe strives to foster a secure and inclusive environment for all her patients. She believes in an integrated approach to medicine, dedicating her time to understand each patient’s unique needs.

During her leisure time, Dr. Ioffe indulges in reading a variety of books for pleasure, plays boardgames, and loves to explore Chicago with her spouse and young child.