Brace, Charles Loring (1826-1890), an American social reformer, worked to improve the living conditions of poor children. In 1853, he helped organize the Children's Aid Society in New York City and became its head. Brace believed that a family could meet the needs of a homeless child better than any institution could. As a result of this belief, the Children's Aid Society sent about 100,000 homeless children from New York City to live with families in rural areas. Largely because of the success of this program, the placement of children in family homes has become an important feature of modern foster care.