1907
Alexander Kerr, founder of the Kerr Glass Manufacturing Company, helps found the Pacific Coast Rescue & Protective Society, a temporary shelter for homeless men. This later becomes the Louise Home for Girls.
1913 – 1967
Louise Home grows and moves to Gresham. Albertina Kerr Nursery opens in a downtown Portland home, then moves to a new building at 22nd and Sandy, providing a place to live and adoption services for hundreds of homeless children. It operates as an adoption home until 1967, when private foster homes become the model for caring for homeless children.
1968-80
Kerr begins an innovative “continuum of care” program for children with severe mental and emotional developmental disabilities, creating residential and outpatient psychiatric treatment services for children and counseling for their families. Salem’s Fairview Training Center, the state-run institution for persons with developmental disabilities, makes plans to move its residents to community-based homes. Kerr steps up and begins its first services for individuals with developmental disabilities. The Albertina Kerr Nursery building closes for renovation and re-opens in 1980 as Albertina’s Restaurant & Shops. These businesses are completely volunteer-run and donate all their proceeds to Albertina Kerr Centers.
1981-97
Kerr begins day treatment for adolescent children. As more Fairview residents leave that institution, Kerr opens neighborhood group homes for individuals with developmental disabilities in Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties, also offering supported living, employment and life skills training for these men and women. In 1997, the Oregon legislature orders the closing of Fairview.
KEIP – the Kerr Early Intervention Program – is created to help very young children in crisis because of severe abuse, neglect, mental illness or trauma. Kerr assumes responsibility for group homes serving adults with developmental disabilities in the Eugene, Springfield and Salem metropolitan areas.
With $3.2 million raised from community donations, Kerr constructs a new building on the Gresham campus and begins operating a crisis psychiatric residential program for children who are a danger to themselves or to others.
2000-2001
The last resident leaves Fairview in 2000 and the institution closes its doors forever. Kerr opens more community-based group homes for adults leaving Fairview.
Kerr forms the Foster Family Care Network with the Boys & Girls Aid Society of Oregon and Morrison Child and Family Services. The program recruits, trains and supports caring foster families in Oregon.
2005
Kerr becomes the fiscal agent and sponsor of Wraparound Oregon, an innovative project that coordinates the work of child welfare agencies, private non-profits, courts and public schools to help youth with severe emotional and behavioral difficulties. As lead agency, Kerr houses and supervises the Wraparound teams.
2007 and beyond Albertina Kerr Centers celebrated its 100th birthday, marking a century of helping children grow up safe and healthy, reuniting families and creating new possibilities where none existed before. Since 1907, Albertina Kerr Centers has been the leading provider of services to children, adults and families with mental health challenges and developmental disabilities. Our goal is to help children find solid footing, keep families together and support adults to lead rich and fulfilling lives.
As we look to the next 100 years, our goal continues to be developing innovative solutions and expanding capacity for urgent community needs. Private support is essential and powers Kerr's ability to change lives in our community.