Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-14
FOR THE NEEDY ONES
Joint Annual Report of Organ
lied Charity.
IN. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Submitted for the Fiscal Year End
ing July l Last.
INTERESTING BUDGET OF FACTS
Remarkable Efforts of Small Army Of
Unpaid Workers - Intelligent
Disposition of Funds.
INTERESTING BUDGET OF FACTS

disposition OF EUnQS.
The work of organized charity in the
District is very aptly exploited in the joint
annual report of the Citizens Relief As
ISOLATION and the Associa ted Charities, sub
mtted by the officers and board of man
ayers The aims of the organizations are
tersely set forth in the declaration, Work
ing together, these two societies endeavor
to bring about the adequate treatment Of
each needy family individual upon the
basis of an adequate understanding of the
needs and possibilities
The report declares that last year there
were 4,799 applications from cooperating
organizations and individuals. In addition
to this class of nearly 5000 applications,
there were over 5000 appeals directly from
needy families themselves. Thus the 11OO7
applca tions-4799 from co-workers and
6.20S from the needy-represented 4.377 fam
lilies. These included exactly 1881 indi-
viduals When one considers that 14,S24
people constitute more than one twenty
second of Washington's entire population
of 325,00O the extent and importance of
the work is manifest
Charity for Needy Colored People.
While Washington contains the largest
colored population of any city in the world,
with nearly 100000 colored people, who fill
the lowest-paid occupations, suffer tie Sc
verest inroads of sickness and constitute
distinctively the poorest section of the pop
ulation, only little more than half Of
those dealt with by the Associated Charities
We're colored people They numbered only
2,465, or less than Sc per cent of the total
AS a matter of fact, the colored people of
Washington are notably responsive to the
OF yxyhi oh, Acc tod Tho, 1T
stantly makes with all it's beneficiaries to
lift them off the relief lists. They accept all
sorts of scattering odd jobs live humbly,
and constitute 81 per cent of all who lay by
small savings on the Stamp-SavingS syS-
tenn.
Agents Actively Employed.
Eight agents spend their entire time
familiarizing themselves with all needy
people in the limited section of the city
which is allotted to each worker. Not
only do they make careful investigation
of each applicant, visiting his home and
his references, but they keep in frequent
touch with most of the cases long after
the immediate crisis has been passed.
Throughout the spring and summer months
nearly all the families who received relief
during the previous winter season are can
vassed weekly for small savings. If i'm
providence or willful idleness are noted at
any time the family is warned that it will
De refused III tne ana INe
facts recorded for use In subsequent
dealings with the household. In these
ways, and by the constant development of
opportunities for self help, the yearly dis
bursements of food and fuel have actually
been reduced steadily in spite of an in
crease in the population of Washington
and in the total number of families dealt
with by the association. Among colored
people particularly this reduction in ma
terial relief has been notable. Each agent
carries always with her book of order
blanks by which she can at once secure
fuel, groceries or clothing from a nearby
dealer. There is no delay or red tape"
Material Relief Greatly Reduced.
The report declares it an astonishing fact
that out of 4,377 families dealt with last
year only 1,O5O, or less than one in every
four, required material relief. The num-
Der of families treated in 1906 was II per
cent larger than in 1899. but the number
of those who required material relief, in
stead of increasing II per cent in like
proportion. was actually 43 per cent small
er in 1906 than in 1899. In other words the
cases dealt with in 1899 were 2.473; in 1906,
4,377; material relief extended in 1899 l. S4S
cases. and in 1906 only 1850.
The police. who formerly dsbursed re-
lief, have long since ceased to do so, and
the entire general relief work of the city
is now concentrated in the Citizens Relief
Association and the Golden Book fund
both administered by the Associated Chari-
ties and both sustained by voluntary con-
tributions. Omitting the small agencies
from which no reports readily obtain
able, Washington's outdoor relief''-that
IS, relief rendered to needy people outside
of charitable institutions-only cost last
year about $4,000. The report says that
1t is doubtful if any other city in America
can show more creditable record.
Relief From Private Funds.
AS compared either with the expenditures
l..
fifty thousand dollars formerly disbursed in
Washington in a single season, the present
record of the national capital is notable and
significant.
The only outdoor relief from private
funds is reported as follows: Citizens Re
lief Association, SLOT; golden book fund,
81 5SS; St. Vincent de Paul Society Q904),
s4114: total, s12,I19. 1t is less than cents
each for the city's $4,000 people.
1t is also stated that one reason why so
little money is made to suffice for the gen.
eral relief work of the city is found in the
collected last year from poor people them
selves.
Aids to Valued Legislation.
Intelligent work with individual cases of
need leads to an understanding of general
causes of distress. Thus one volunteer, es-
pecially interested in the many cases of
deserton, made an extensive study of the
subject and suggested a new law, which
was adopted and is now compelling desert
ing husbands TO support their families. In
much the same way the agents and volun-
teer workers of the association become in
terested in the need for a compulsory school
attendance law. The facts they cited and
the general interest which they assisted
in developing resulted in the passage and
enforcement of such a measure
H. a.. Of tla -
to prevent child la Dor and to promote con-
gressional legislation for that purpose In
many ways the work of the Associated
Charities is related to that of the public
schools Supplies contributed by school
children at Thanksgiving time are disbursed
10y the charities agents. Through these
,Icn ha funds Of the i'itizanS' Ra,iaf 1sco