Children's Institute, Inc.: The Colleagues

The Colleagues

The Colleagues were instrumental in acquiring CII’s current headquarters at 701 South New Hampshire Avenue. Once the home of silent-film superstar Mary Miles Minter, this beautiful example of early 20th-century architecture initially housed the Big Sister League’s Minnie Barton and Bide-A-Wee homes. In the 1970s, The Colleagues commissioned plans and raised funds to build The Colleagues Infant Care Center next door. This facility has served as a model for other childcare centers across the country. The fruits of The Colleagues’ support can be seen throughout the agency, including a multi-use courtyard, The Colleagues’ Children’s Memorial Library, and The Billie Converse Learning Center, located at the New Hampshire Avenue headquarters

Each spring, The Colleagues host a luncheon and fashion show to benefit CII. The event includes the presentation of CII’s prestigious Champion of Children Award. Previous award recipients include former First Ladies Nancy Reagan and Betty Ford, James and Gloria Stewart, Audrey Hepburn, Anjelica Huston and husband Robert Graham, California First Lady Maria Shriver, Angie Harmon and husband Jason Seahorn, Wolfgang and Gelila Puck, and Oscar de la Renta. View all Champion of Children honorees here.

The group also raises funds for CII through proceeds from The Colleagues Boutique, a high-end resale and vintage clothing shop located in Santa Monica. To learn more about The Colleagues Boutique, visit www.thecolleagues.com.

The Colleagues is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.

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