To consider the past of Travelers Aid is to consider more than 100 years of history. Assistance was given to immigrants entering the United States in the early-to mid-1900's — men and women migrating to the expanding West and the growing cities in search of work and a better life. In the1930's, 40's, 50's and 60's, Travelers Aid helped millions of people who were displaced due to wars and major economic changes.

Over the years, Travelers Aid has adapted its services along with
changing patterns of transportation and urban complexities.

From its beginnings at the Atlanta Railroad Depot, Travelers Aid services have always mirrored the traveling habits of the public. As people have moved from trains, to buses, to automobiles and to airline flight over the course of the century, Travelers Aid has moved along with them.

Over the last 30 years, the Atlanta Chapter of Travelers Aid has slightly broadened its services to keep up with the times.

Seeing the need to provide additional help to people beyond its traditional travel-related assistance, Travelers Aid has introduced programs to help other people in trouble — newcomer families on the verge of becoming homeless, spouses fleeing domestic abuse and people trying to relocate back to their families.

As the agency enters its second century, it continues to help travelers in trouble — providing travel assistance, temporary shelter, counseling, and monetary help — and helping other individual and families to overcome crises to lead stable, productive lives.

What about the wider history of the Travelers Aid movement?

In the mid-19th Century, on the banks of the Mississippi River,
the community of St. Louis struggled to help travelers headed west through their city. They came to explore the wide-open frontier, and maybe even find gold in the hills of California. But 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 an arduous journey. St. Louis, under the leadership of Mayor Bryan Mullanphy, struggled to help provide services to these American  pioneers and new immigrants who became stranded on a journey to a new life. At his death in 1851, Mullanphy left half a million dollars in his
will to help "aid travelers going west." The Travelers Aid movement had begun.

P.S. Travelers Aid is one of 6 organizations that came
 together to form the USO.