Louise Marillac was a 17th-century French nun who co-founded the Daughters of Charity alongside Vincent de Paul. Born in Ferrières-en-Brie, she was raised in the French aristocracy despite an unstable early childhood. After marrying Antoine Le Gras and raising their son, she became a widow and eventually dedicated her life to serving the impoverished. She worked to organize practical, direct care for the needy, moving beyond the limited charitable efforts of the nobility to establish a dedicated community of women focused on nursing and social service.