The institution's roots date back to 1968, when a couple adopted an abandoned baby, the first of many more adoptions and children taken care of. In 1974, a group of volunteers took over the running of the home and formed "Sociedade Beneficente Lar do Caminho" a private, non-profit entity, with no political or religious ties, with the objective to offer housing, meals and education to children often brought in by their families, or even left at its doorstep!

By 1978, due to the precarious housing conditions, the Scandinavian Church initiated a campaign to provide more adequate installations. This initiative soon engaged the Scandinavian business community in São Paulo. Together with financial support also from abroad, the construction of new facilities was initiated, within the objectives set by a master project elaborated by "Lar do Caminho", under the supervision of the Board of Directors and a board member representing the Scandinavian community.

In 1984, with 96 residents, the entity felt the necessity to improve the quality of its services, looking at each child as an individual, with his/her own characteristics and needs, which continues a priority until today.

Nowadays, "Associação Beneficente Lar do Caminho" has the capacity of attending up to 116 children and youngsters, at six different units in the State of São Paulo. These children are sent by Judicial Courts, often arriving in precarious physical and emotional conditions - thus the importance of them being treated and respected as unique individuals, and not simply being institutionalized.

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