Encompass Early Education and Care has a long and rich history thanks to several organizations, beginning with the Catholic Woman’s Club, which was conceived by Mrs. Frank J. Van Laanen in October 1900. She invited four women- Mrs. Patrick Martin, Mrs. Phil O’Connor, Mrs. Van Rosmelen and Mrs. Charles Cotton- to her home to form the Catholic Woman’s Club. In 1907, the Catholic Woman’s Club objective was intellectual, social and philanthropic work among young people. One of the biggest projects of the club was the Shoe Fund organized in 1910. For 10 years, the poor families of the city were supplied with shoes.
In 1919, concerned about several women with children whose husbands did not come home from World War I and now had to be breadwinners, the club organized the Green Bay Day Nursery. Ten children were cared for by one caregiver. In the earliest years, only children 2.5 to first grade level, whose mother needed to work due to death, divorce, separation, desertion or illness of her husband were eligible to receive care. Fathers, who needed care due to similar situations, were also eligible for services. So began the Green Bay Day Nursery and the future Encompass Early Education and Care.