In 1925, a small group of women interested in philanthropic work founded the Charity League in Los Angeles. They worked quietly, doing Red Cross work, making layettes and assembling and delivering baskets of food to the hungry at holiday times. Sometimes they brought their daughters with them. By 1938, so many daughters had become involved that they decided to form their own group. They called themselves the Ticktockers.

In 1947, these groups united to become the first mother-daughter charity and took their present name, National Charity League. At that time, the mothers also took their name, Patronesses. The newly formed group decided to expand its program beyond philanthropic work to include educational and cultural activities.

NCL was reorganized and incorporated as National Charity League, Inc. in 1958. The first "Chapter Day" was held in 1959; the first NCL Convention was held the following year. These meetings brought the growing membership together for an exchange of ideas and support.

Today

National Charity League, Inc. has a National Council Board of Directors, which represents the organization's five Regions and one hundred forty-one local Chapters in sixteen states throughout the United States. NCL has grown to nearly 33,000 active members nationwide! NCL members have volunteered a cumulative of 887,031 hours in their communities in the 2005-2006 fiscal year. NCL has raised $1,417,585 for their local philanthropy partners in the 2005-2006 fiscal year. NCL continues to carry out its Mission -- to provide service to its communities while fostering the mother-daughter relationship. Through our volunteer work today, we hope to make the world a better place tomorrow.