The "Sociedad de Beneficencia" (Society of Beneficence), a charity group made up of 87 society ladies, was responsible for most works of charity in Buenos Aires prior to the election of Juan Perón. At one point the "Sociedad" had been an enlightened institution, caring for orphans and homeless women, but those days had long since passed by the time of the first term of Juan Perón. In the 1800s, the "Sociedad" had been supported by private contributions, largely those of the husbands of the society ladies, but by the 1940s, the "Sociedad" was supported by the government.