The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-03-18
HOW ORGANIZED CHARITY
EMPLOYS ITS FUNDS
Modern Relief Agency Not
a Mere ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
tative and Educational
Work a Large Factor
Factors in the Cost of
Family Rehabilitation.


Edward T. Devine, General Secretary,
Charity Organization Society, New
York City.
Exclusive Service The Survey Press
Bureau.)
In the year ending Septmber 30, 1910,
the Charity Organization Society dis
bursed in direct relief a little less than
$780, 900, Some people think that it is
too much. Some think that it is not
enough. I am among the latter. We
need more money for widows and de-
pendent children, more for the fami-
lies Of consumptives and more for
many other particular kinds of dis
tress.
What we need for relief we always
raise for that particular purpose. We
believe in what is called the case by
case system of raising relief funds.
What we mean by this is that If we
require $40 Or SIS a month for a fam
lily we prefer to ask people to give
that amount for that particular fam
lily. We open a special account with
the money thus given, and We keep it
religiously for the family for whom it
was raised SO long as it is needed. If
it is not needed we give it back to
the donors if they want it,~ or we
transfer it with the consent of the dom
ors to some other similar case.
orally we need for family all that
we have secured for them. Our pur-
pose is not the ''tiding OVER of a
family Unto next weeks misery" but
family rehabilitation. We pension
widows until children can properly be-
gin to earn wages. We, care for the
sick until they are well. We move
come self-supporting if possible. We
go after deserters and bring them back
to their families.
2 With us relief is but a means to
an end. In some instances we give no
relief whatever and in other instances
we may spend a large sum of money
in direct relief before we get through.
cases some relief is necessary, and we
give what our experience and best
Judgment suggest whether it is much
or little or nothing.
Besides the $4,000 which was ex-
pended for relief. and besides what
was expended for other activities which
have separate treasures the Charity
Organization Society expended about
100000. Any one who quotes these
figures and infers from them that
there is a disproportion between re-
lief and the cost of administering re-
lief, is misleading the public. What
these figures show is that the society
relief giving. In round numbers $780,
900 was the cost of conducting the
New York school of Philanthropy.
This is a training school for those who
are expecting to engage in civic or
social work. 1t is not supported by
at all, but by endowment
and tuition fees.
About 81. 800 was spent for the work
Of the Tenement House Committee
the committee which with the support
and cooperation of the daily press,
settlements, trade unions, and others,
secured the present Tenement House
law ten years ago, and has ever since
been Obliged to fight attacks on it.
This committee also has nothing to
do with relief. but it is fighting for
decent tenement homes, against the
selfishness and greed of speculative
tenement owners and builders.
Thirty thousand dollars was spent
on the work of the Committee on the
of tuberculosis and it's af-
filiated Association of Tuberculosis
Clinics. None of this was for relief,
and none of it was for the expensed
Of administering relief. 1t is more
than relief. 1t is pre-
vention. 1t is public education.
Largely as a result of campaign it's
ment and to the Board of Education,
and as result we have open air
schools for anaemic children and an
adequate corps of Health Department
district nurses. visiting the homes Of
poor consumptives. These things mean
more than fuel and groceries. They
mean health and the saving of life. |
They mean stamping out infection.
The society spent little over SIS 600
IN it's Bureau of Advice and Informa-
ton. which is for the purpose of re-
porting to it's members and others of
charitable agencies which appeal for |
financial support. This bureau exposes
fraudulent enterprises and gives i'm |
partial relia BILE information concern |
ng the hundreds of institutions soci- !
eties and enterprises of various kinds
n the city. Frequently through this |
bureau substantial aid is given in the |
reorganization of charitable agencies |
N such a way as to free them from |
some ground for criticism. One may
put a high or low estimate on this |
kind of service. but obviously it has
nothing to do with the amount spent |
n relief.
The usefulness of any special actfv-
ty is not always gagged by the
amount Of money which it costs. For
the society spent less than
g 900 for it's Special Employment Bu-
eau, the object of which is to find |
work of special kinds for handicap
BED persons--those who are not able
o do a full days work in the ordinary
sense, but who can do certain things
rery satisfactorily If they have some