We are privately funded and have been in existence since 1894, serving the children in need of a safe place to call home in our community and the surrounding areas in Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas. Locally, during this time the James
Brothers were riding through the country side with the Younger
gang and nationally Susan B. Anthony was put on trial and fined
$100 for voting in the 1872
presidential election. Joseph
comprised of members of various Protestant churches in the area. Eager to put their faith into action the group began to provide
assistance to the unfortunate in the area. Thus, the Ladies Union
Benevolent Association, LUBA, was formed. By 1874 LUBA, through the soliciting and contributions made by
tea sales, rented a small frame house which they named the
“Home of the Friendless” to house the less fortunate. The very
first day they took in a woman and her two children, caring for
sixteen people by months end. However, the home’s first few
years proved to be difficult by the constant pressure by those
within their neighborhood urging the home to relocate. It was
not until 1880 that LUBA established its first permanent residence
on the corner of Main and Poulin with the financial support of
local business men. Over the next 20 years the home grew and grew. However, in
1894 a local businessman and his wife, Charles and Sarepta
Noyes, took it upon themselves to purchase land and to build a
home to house the ever increasing numbers of children that LUBA
had been caring for. Originally called “The Home for Little
Wanderers,” the facility would become recognized throughout the
community as “The Noyes Home for Children” in honor of Charles
and Sarepta Noyes’ generosity. From that first day in 1894 when thirty nine children arrived at
the home, to today, “The Noyes Home for Children” has kept its
doors open to needy children throughout the region. Currently
nearly 200 children pass through our doors each year in need of
a safe environment to call home. Constantly upholding the
original mission statement, LUBA has continued to provide the
same sense of security, love, and care to less fortunate children
of the community for the last 140 years.
