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Our History

Have you ever wondered about our name? Many people ask us, “Who are the ‘Little Brothers’”?

The name harkens back to our origins. The organization began as Little Brothers of the Poor and was founded by a French nobleman, Armand Marquiset. Born on Sept. 29, 1900, in a chateau outside of Paris, Armand lived a privileged life. But as a young man, he began to accompany his wealthy grandmother on visits to impoverished families who had lost their sons in World War I. Armand was emotionally and spiritually torn – living “the good life,” yet often retreating to a monastery to pray and reflect about the poverty he now confronted.

Upon the death of his grandmother, Armand devoted himself to the service of the poor in various capacities. However, he longed for one large organization that could encompass his charitable goals. One day, while at prayer in Notre Dame Cathedral, Armand had a vision of “Little Brothers spreading across the earth, igniting little fires of love.” His plans had to be put on hold; the outbreak of World War II forced him to direct his efforts toward finding shelter and food for refugees.

At the end of the war, Armand once again took up the notion of Little Brothers, and focused his attention on elderly people who had lost their families in war’s devastation and were isolated and lonely. “The greatest poverty,” he often said, “is the poverty of love,” which was reflected in the motto, “flowers before bread.” His powerful example of devotion to the elderly attracted many followers in France and beyond. Armand Marquiset died on July 14, 1981, yet Little Brothers of the Poor – known now as La Fédération Internationale des petits frères des Pauvres – had spread to nine countries around the world.
 
Little Brothers of the Poor came to the United States in 1959, established first in Chicago and eventually forming eight chapters across the country. The Twin Cities affiliate, founded in 1972, is the second largest and second oldest in the U.S. We are an independent 501(c)(3) organization and are totally dependent on philanthropy. In 1985, we changed our name to Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly to better reflect our commitment to those we serve while preserving a link to our inspired history.