Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-11-22
THE ASSOCIATED CHARITIES.
The Work for Which Support Will Be
Asked in the Churches Next SUM-

day.
As a collection is to be taken in the
churches next Sunday in behalf of the
Associated Charities 1 have been asked
to write a short sketch of their origin and
work This is the more necessary as in
the minds of many people belief pre-
walls that, now the Thompson fund has
begun its work, all the poor will be pro-
vided for without effort or charity on our
own part. 1t cannot be too distinctly
stated that the Thompson fund extends
relief only to certain classes in our COM
munity-"so wing women and shop girls
who are in temporary need, and there are
many outside those employments who at
times require aid, and the Thompson
fund would be a doubtful blessing to the
community If it dried up all the sources
of charity within ourselves.
The Associated Charities of the
churches were started over nine years
ago. They were not intended to take the
place of church charity, each society
being supposed to attend to its individual
members to whom want or suffering had
come. but there are many people who be-
long to no particular church, or who
have drifted into the town and had no
time to form affiliations. before being
overtaken by illness; and to such as these
all the churches formerly lent a helping
hand. but il was found that owing to
want of cooperation among the societies
these poor people would have sometimes
more than needed aid, sometimes far too
little. 1t was a case of this kind that
started the idea of the Associated
Charities. The plan decided on was to
elect one representative from the Bap-
fist, Congregational, Universalist Metho-
dist, Episcopal and Unitarian churches
to form a committee to care for such
cases. Each church took up contri-
button to form a small fund with which
to carry on the work The ladies chosen
on the committees were Mrs Frank
Wells, Mrs. George E. Crowell Mrs.
George +. Gale, Mrs G.. w. Hooker, Mrs.
L. w. Harlow and Mrs. ]. NJ. Tyler.
Mrs Tyler was elected treasurer. There
have been no changes in the committee
except that after the death of Mrs. Har-
low Miss Helen Chandler was chosen in
her place.
The idea of the associa ton was to give
temporary help to those whom illness or
accident had brought to a hard pass; to
aid them till they were again able to
care for themselves. but never to sup
port them steadily or for any length of
time. Besides the money contributed by
the churches they have occasionally re-
ceived gifts from friends and the Thanks
giving collections taken up at the union
meetings. BY the will of Kate Driscoll
a Roman Catholic, who left the interest
from her property to be used for the
poor of the town without distinction of
sect, they receive about $40 a year
There is no regular time for asking for
contributions from the churches, only
when the treasury is empty is an appeal
made The last collection was taken in
the fall of 1898. At the time of the Smith
& Co. fire in 1899 money was sent in by
various friends. and small private con-
tributions are not infrequently received.
1t should be distinctly Understood that
the work done by the Associated Char
tiles represents only fractional part of
the charitable work of the town; churches,
fraternities and private individuals Civ
ing much and working hard to alleviate
the distress caused by poverty, illness
and old age; but it has been found to be
great good to have an independent
organization to which appeals can easily
be made and which can act with
promptness in any urgent case. A little
judicious help given at the right moment
will often tide over a serious difficulty.