History
Image courtesy of UW-Madison Archives
Attic Angel Association’s Madison roots go back 130 years, with deep concern for the health and well-being of both children and seniors.
In the Beginning
Attic Angel Association has a long and rich history in Madison. It goes back to 1889, when Miss Elva Bryant (pictured left) heard that twins had been born into a family so poor that they could not afford clothing for the babies. She set about sewing appropriate clothing and when she delivered it to the grateful parents, she found that there were many more, equally desperate, families in need of children's clothing. She enlisted the help of her sister, Mary (pictured right), and several friends, who continued the mission.
One day, the sisters were up in their attic, collecting discarded clothing for these children. Upon descending, they were greeted by their father, prominent Madisonian and federal servant General E.E. Bryant, who declared, "Here come the attic angels!" The women enthusiastically adopted the name.
In the early 1900s, when good health care was hard to come by, the growing Attic Angel group of civic-minded women pledged $1,000 along with additional help to establish Madison’s first hospital in 1903. Five years later, they established Madison’s first visiting nurse service, which became Home Health United and is today known as SSM Health at Home. And in 1915, they started and ran the city’s first well-child clinics for 34 years before turning them over to the Madison Health Department.
In 2000, the Association and their residents moved to the far west side of Madison to form Attic Angel Community, with the Association office and Attic Angel Place on the same campus. The Angels brought assisted living care to the community with the addition of the Household Apartments.
Attic Angel Association now claims 500 members who put in 35,000 volunteer hours each year. Through their well-known sales events, they raise money throughout the year and give an average of $200,000 to causes that benefit children and seniors. 
