NASW Foundation National Programs

NASW Social Work Pioneers^®

Grace Williams Bell (1912- )

Grace Williams Bell was born in Cleveland, North Carolina. Bell served in field of child welfare for fifteen years in North Carolina, Florida, and Memphis, Tennessee, in both public and voluntary agencies. For eight years, she served as medical psychiatric social worker, except for one year during which she served as supervisor of the Family Service Program for the District of Columbia Juvenile Court.

Bell's pioneering effort was the development of the homemaker and home health aide services. She served for ten to twelve years as a consultant on community service development to staff in state and local health and social agencies and to the National Institute of Alcoholism in Washington, D.C. She was the U.S. Representative of International Council of Home Help Services. She was an organizing member of The National Council of Homemaker Home Health Service in the United States and served as Executive Secretary, for the National Conference of Homemaker Home Health Service from 1962 to 1968.

Bell was married to Daniel L. Bell in 1942 and has two sons. She currently is a member of the Board for the Ruth Pauley Lecture

Series at Sandills Community College. She is also a member of the Gardener Club for the Community Beatification Project and a member of the Sierra Club, involved in historical preservation environmental protection efforts. Bell received her bachelor of arts degree and earned a master of social work degree from the University of North Carolina. She also had one year of graduate study at the Columbia University of School of Social Work. Mrs. Bell is currently living in retirement at Pinehurst, North Carolina.