Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-01-26
THE ASSOCIATED CHARITIES.
The Work of Relief.

work of the Associated Charities and the posi-
ton occupied by some of its members. For two
years, judging from observation and experience.
no section of this District has been ignorant of
| the existence and object of the Associated Char
tiles, or of the fact that intelligent Christian
men and women. identified with the society and
living in all parts of this District have been
| firing in their devotion to its charitable work
| and accessible to all who have needed friend
The supply, whenever possible. of employ
lnent. as the basis of relief is of the funda-
mental principles of its constitution but failing
N this provides for 1.-THE prompt relief of cases
oi real destitutiOn from its own funds" when
not obtaina Hie from other sources No man or
woman OF sense viii believe it possible for any
society with limited means to establish factories
or work shops. The Associated Charities has
! been compelled to rely mainly on finding service
riaces for men and women competent to fill
them. and. ike walking intelligence Offices the
visitor IS busy in the interest of the employer
and unemployed
WHO NEED RELIEF.
Besides these, there are those who have been
reared in luxury. who sometimes need the helping
hand Of 'afTiendly visitor" Owing to their early
training and surroundings. they are not prof.
Gent in the USE of the needle and if they are
who will expect them to compete with the
stPam-propelled sewing machines?
she has done what she could has been said
oi many to whom the friendly visitor from the
Associated Charities has been like q balm in
Gilead and but for them they might have
starved and frozen in silence"
This soc city has sometimes labored under dis
| ADVANTAGES. but with harmony assured among
| IFS members. it hopes to do more and better
work III the future.
1t has made no discrimination on account
race or creed. and its members have fed the
| hungry. and clothed the naked. when other re-
I EtsIIr on I'D
widow and fathcrless in their affection and
tried to inspire them with courage faith and
hope for the future. For supplying temporal
wants they have been censured BY some and
others have complained occasionally because re-
! lief has not been given instantly when visitor
or secretary has taken time to prevent the
use of an honest mans money for the benefit of
the unworthy The society has seldom been
charged with "pauperzing the people" Since
the recent dIspensatiOn Of relief to the needy
10y the 'CitiZens' Committee the Associated
Charities had nothing to fear from that charge.
THE RELIEF COMMITTEE
For promptness. its system for relieving the
needy Will compare favorabiy with that adopted
by the citizens committee" Feeling that 1t
would be right under the circumstances that
very worthy family, without fuel or food. rent
due, and no money, should be helped from the
citizens fund" a friend applied for them to
lieutenant OF police. in charge of funds at one
O'Clock on Friday 1t appearing that the method
! adopted by the citizens committee for relieving
distress was thought to be more efficient and
expeditions than that adopted by the associated
CHARITIES. 1t could hardly be expected that any
one would doubt for moment the probability of
an immediate response. but Saturday brought
TO friendly visitor the following letter:
DEAR NRS. --: The coal has not come and
we are suffering fear all of us Will be sick.
itri sure you thought it had, or your kind heart
would lot rest easy Dear Mrs - forgot
when yo!i were here to tell you that am almost
worried 10 death about my rent. | can't sleep for
Worying about IT, for it is fearful to be turned into
Ihe street In winter have paid ND ever since
nave been in the house. by nearly starving but
lhlS month couldn't that. Even then we never
nave meat from one sunday till the next ON that
VI! ! l,i'Ls-+ % set u Lt!le You Will not
wonder, Niicn You consider my zee. and that these
ttr.Hr.S one are dependent upon my poorly paid
i'i ~'"ihG fear tire you by writing 50 much:
hHt O. somehow. feel can open my heart 10 YOU
as 10 ~ n'hgr FOR Know YOU feel Tor my desolate
cp.dI'l"n- Ever yours. most gratefully, -"
She hastcued to their relief soon meeting
another on the same mission. as she had seen
her naine "a al applicant on the book at the
police station and desired to know if she had
been &SSiStri- one visitor went quickly for
coal. the other, who had taken to them food
seeing a rafrol.Gan coming to 'invest gate"
stepped hastily OUT of the room. prcferring to
absent herself during the interview The
policeman wondered" what were the CAS-
soclattd charities: they send all their cases to
US lie had never seen any one whom they
/ had benefited" His listener was so confused
by his appearance and the sudden exit of
the visitor. that she simply said. Il suppose
they haven't money TO help ALL" He thought
they had plenty. but they spent it all in
salaries and clerk hire" WHAT evil genius
could have SO msinformed him2
III was thought that this family would be
spared the intrusion of a stranger who could
only inform her that there We're so many col
Ored applicants before her. that a respectable
White woman had to wait, and she could get
nothing until Monday
tuesday noon, a line informed the visitor
that the expected blessing had not come. land
put Tor the timely assistance from the 'AssO-
ciated Charities. they might have frozen and
starved to DEATH" Mrs regretted that
she had not told the policeman that the As
socated Charities had been very. very kind"
He d.d not ask if She had received aid from any
source, or she should hayet told him.
FEBRUARY AND MARCH.
We are told by those qualified to Judge that
February and March will be the most tryinr
time for the poor anu when the spasmodc
effort at raising funds for them is over the sey-
era subdivisions of the Associated Charities
VIII be called on, as in the past to visit and re-
heye the worthy poor in their subdivisions. who
''wll starye together before they will 90 to a
police station for assistance" and the general
secretary at the central office with or without
funds. will be expected to listen to and relieve
- "IfiSoiitH' LilbSe from Inc states
mere TO get pension, and may not ask the
friends oil the Associated Charities whose
officers and visitors give So much of their time
TO work among the poor without pay or hope
OIL reward. TO remember it when making its con
tributlons tor the poor that the organization
may be sustained in its sef-sacriicing efforts for
the good OF the needy
=, should the citizens or any of the churches
think that the police can assist the poor more
promptly, more wisely, more efficiently or expe-
dtlousy, that they have more time in which to
investigate the unworthy, that they are better
calculated to inspire the deserving with faith.
nope and courage for the future than the
friendly visitors whose names are on their
church books by ali means let them make the
police the almoners OF their bounty but don't
let them be censured for their delay in dong it.
when the very few men who are doing this work
are overtaIed and unable to meet the demand
promptly OF six hundred applicants waiting for
relief (SrAR) and investigation and .citi-
zens. don't please don't, send applicants to the
Associated Charities for relief and then censure
the society II they fail to receive aid if you with
hold the necessary means. NJ. A.
The Boys on the Printing Office Tax.
To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR:
In -. N r.