Anne-Françoise de Fougeret


Anne-Françoise de Fougeret born Anne-Françoise Outremont, was a French socialite and philanthropist who founded one of the first secular women's charity organizations in France
In 1788, de Fougeret founded the Société de Charité Maternelle to support poor women and children. She was its first president, under the protection of Queen Marie Antoinette
De Fougeret had originally been involved in finding wet nurses for abandoned infants, using older women from her husband's estates. They fed the children goat's and cow's milk but three-quarters of them died. De Fougeret realised that the best solution was to help poor mothers feed and nurture their infants, preventing their abandonment.
During the French Revolution, De Fougeret's husband was guillotined and the charity stopped operation. In 1801, the charity was revived. De Fougeret's daughters became involved with the charity, but she remained a non-participating member. although she was a member she was not involved..