What started in Reims in France during the 1600s as a small community to help to educate the poor children grew quickly to spread across Europe and then around the world has now become a massive group of Brothers that work in over 80 countries. The mission is still the same - help the poor and needy, educate them to help them to look after themselves and their families. They still provide education to the poor and this is done by following the words of John Baptist de La Salle.