Mission & History | The Blue Bird Circle

Our Mission

A circle of volunteers providing hope, love, and healing to children with neurological disorders.

Our Story

As is the case of most organizations which begins as a banding together of friends to further a common cause, the Circle was very small at the start. During the first week of January of 1923, a group of fifteen young women approached A. Frank Smith, pastor of First Methodist Church. They requested that they be allowed to form a new organization similar to the Methodist Missionary Society, but with projects of an entirely local nature.

With the help of the pastor and that of Mrs. J.C. Adams, president of the Missionary Society, the new organization came into being. After the first meeting a typewritten note went out inviting other women to learn more about the organization: : “…. the Circle extends a cordial invitation to all the young ladies of the Church to join on next Wednesday morning.” Hence, The Blue Bird Circle was formed.

Over the next few decades, The Blue Bird Circle volunteered their time giving to local needs while fundraising for those causes.

At just eleven years old, The Blue Birds caught a vision of its destiny when it provided a space for overflowing patients from a children's ward from Methodist Hospital. Since then, The Blue Bird Circle has been stepping up to care for and love children with medical needs.

However, it wasn't until 1952 when they focused their efforts on children with neurological conditions, after a group of doctors stated their was a need for a clinic for children with cerebral disorders. The Blue Birds provided funding and volunteer time. To support the growing budget needs, they opened a resale shop in 1959, which continues today as a unique and affordable shopping experience that helps children.

As this story began 100 years ago the same mission carries on today. From those humble beginnings in January 1923 to present day, The Blue Bird Circle’s mission of love and caring has continued. Beginning with pennies, the Circle has come a long way to being able to donate close to 2 million dollars a year to support the clinics and research at Texas Children’s and Baylor College of Medicine. This incredible feat is because of the devotion of countless members providing volunteer hours. But this story is not complete without recognizing and thanking the wonderful employees and staff of The Blue Bird Circle, over the years, that have provided members with not only dedicated work but for their friendship and devotion to the Circle. We appreciate and thank all for their dedication.

Why "The Blue Bird Circle"?

The name “ The Blue Bird Circle” was chosen because the blue bird symbolizes happiness and because the members wished to be bound together in a circle of love and good will.

Milestones

1923

Founded by a group of 15 young women in Houston, Texas to be of service to local needs

1934

Built the “Little Hospital” for the Arabia Shrine Temple to provide pediatric orthopedic care

1949

Changed focus to help children with neurological disorders

1952

Moved into the new Methodist Hospital to help children with neurological disorders, originally called The Blue Bird Seizure Clinic. Moved into the new Memorial.

1959

Opened its resale shop to help fund the clinic

1985

Established The Blue Bird Circle Rett Center to provide funding for scientific and clinical research, which resulted in the 1999 discovery of the gene that causes Rett Syndrome

1986

Established The Blue Bird Circle Developmental Neurogenetics Laboratory, attaining national and international recognition for genetic exploration and gene discoveries related to epilepsy

1998

Affiliated with Texas Children’s Hospital

2001

Moved into the new Texas Children’s Hospital Clinical Care Center, seeing more than 20,000 patients annually, making the Clinic one of the largest of its kind in the world

2010

Established The Blue Bird Circle Clinical Research Center at Texas Children’s Hospital, where the Center takes basic research discoveries into clinical trials giving renewed hope to the young patients who suffer from devastating neurological disorders

2014

Presented $2,000,000 to Texas Children’s Hospital to establish The Blue Bird Circle Endowed Chair for Pediatric Neurology and the Neurosciences, which is one of only four endowed pediatric neurology chairs in the country

2016-2017

The Blue Bird Circle Clinical Research Center was chosen as one of three centers in the US for infusion of enzyme directly into the brain to treat a form of Batten’s Disease

2018

First Dedicated Pediatric Neuro Intensive Care Monitoring Opened as Part of TCH Legacy Tower Opening

2019-2020

The Blue Bird Circle House and Shop underwent a major renovation to upgrade its facilities and infrastructure. As a result, shoppers have a modern shopping experience.

2021

Opening of the Mitochondrial Disorders Clinic in the BBC Neurology Clinic – Focused Multidisciplinary clinic for patients to receive comprehensive care including genetics, neurology, palliative care, and other subspecialties.

2022

$10 Million gift to the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute to accelerate life-saving research and to develop effective therapies for the most complex, devastating pediatric neurological diseases under the program named The Blue Bird Circle Center for Advancing Treatments Fund.