The Orphanage's history began in Rio de Janeiro in 1932, when Mr. Comendador Mattos, the owner of a well-known school supplies store, founded along with other local visionary businessmen a shelter home which would provide shelter and assistance for young children. Some of these children were sons and daughters of employees of his own business, others were abandoned youngsters from the streets.

The school supplies for the shelter were obviously provided by Mr.MAttos own business - Casa Mattos. Food, hygene supplies, clothing, room and board were also given freely.

...and Present

From 1932 until today, 75 years later, much has happened. The Orphanage is no longer located in the district of Tijuca, but in Praça Seca - Jacarepaguá in Rio de Janeiro. Today, Orphanage Santa Rita de Cássia (OSRC) is a non-profit civil institution, which offers love and care to approximately 50 girls and youngsters as well as support, assistance and guidance to many under privileged families. The 50 girls and youngsters would be in social danger and/or abandoned if it were not for our Orphanage. Our Orphanage works in the form of internate or externate, and the girls and youngsters are brought to us by means of the local Court Judge for Youth.

The administration of our Orphanage is run by the Franciscan Sisters of Nossa Senhora do Bom Conselho and the Executive Direcotr is Sister Maria Mabel de Luna Melo.

We highlight the fact that the externate form of assistance arose from the need that under privileged mothers from the community needed to leave their daughters with someone, in order to goto work. In other words, in the externate form, there is a family, however this family needs assistance, support and love and the Orphanage is there to provide that.