[originaltext] Jane Addams came from a well-to-do and cultured family. She w

Jane Addams came from a well-to-do and cultured family. She was so distressed about the misery of poor people that she left here fine home to spend her life in the slums of Chicago. In 1889, she established a settlement house where she initiated many projects such as a hot-lunch service for factory workers, day-care centres for little children, free classes for young people and adults, a gymnasium and an art gallery. Immigrants and other poor people came to her settlement house for advice and help as well as for fun. Jane Addams was also active in fighting against the use of child labour and against war. She worked for women’ s right to vote and for improving the situation of the blacks. She initiated country vacation programmes for poor city children. Jane Addams had great influence on the development of social work in the United States and in other parts of the world. She promoted the idea of responsibility for the welfare of the poor. Settlement houses of a similar kind were founded in many poor neighbourhoods to make the lives of the poor more meaningful. In 1931, Jane Addams was awarded the Nobel Prize for what she had done for society.