Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-16
CAUSE OF DISTRESS
|NNEEDY
Reasons Shown for Giving to
the "Fourteen Christmas
Opportunities"
FIFTY-SIX CHILDREN
DEPEND ON ASSISTANCE
Only $4,524 Is Requested by Asso-
ciated Charities for Upkeep Of
These Kodel Homes.

These kodel Homes.
census of the families making UP
the fourteen Christmas opportunities"
| for which The Star, in behalf OF the
Associated Charities, is appealing.
| shows the following significant facts
as to the cause of distress in each case:
! Blindness of wage Garner in two fam
| lilies.
| tuberculosis affecting wage Garner in
| two families.
| Desertion of wage Garner in four
families.
| Other moral delinquency Of wage
Garner in one family.
Death of wage Garner in five families.
In these fourteen families are ffty-six
| children, only four of whom are of work.
| ing age.
| With the loss of wage Garner and with
less than per cent of the children above
| school age, the reason of the dependency
of but few of these families are their
relatives or the churches able to help.
Appeal Really for Children.
This is really children's appeal-an
appeal that these fifty-six children shall
have home of their own, with their own
mothers. who are known to be giving these
boys, girls and babies splendid training
at the present time. says the Associated
Charities.
If these fifty-six children were to
be taken away and supported at public
expense for the next year, besides the
grief and distress thereby created, it
would mean increased cost in dollars
and cents to the community, say Asso-
ciated Charity officials. 1t costs the
District of Columbia to care for
child, at the lowest figure, SO month.
To care for these fifty-six children in
institutions or in boarding homes at
the lowest figure paid by the board of
monthly expenses of $3.50. or $3.50
year.
For the care of. these ffty-six chill
dren for a year and the upkeep of
or S1.20 a week for each individual. or
S62 year.
How many weeks will you contribute
at the rate of $1.2O a week? Every
| dollar helps and every dollar means a
Christmas blessing which cannot be
measured in money, but means char
acter building under home influence of
| the genuine kind.
Contributions may be sent either to
/ The Star or to the Associated Charities,
| 923 H street northwest, and will be
promptly acknowledged.
Opportunity No. Eyes for the
| Blind.
| A blind mother-made such by an ac-
cident.and a father whose eyesight is
rapidly failing. daily face the problem of
| how to shelter, feed and clothe their six
children all of school age. These chill
dren are quite normal, and are learning
| to be eyes for their parents and to be-
come their ultimate support. The plan
for this next year is to have the father
| learn a trade which he can follow when
| he is entirely blind.
| Who will help bring Christmas cheer
| into this family by contributing to the
! SO per week required to keep the home
| intact, while the father goes to trade
school for the blind? $500.
Contributions-Mrs. R. NJ T.. $50.
Still needed, $470.
Opportunity No. "A Spartan
Mother.
! Last Christmas this widow was a
happy wife with all her loved ones about
her. Her husband had just bought a
piece of land on which he was planning
to build with his own hands a house
that would be their very own Sickness
| struggling along to make a home for her
eight little ones. The mans former en-
ployers are sharing the burden by CIV
| ing a small monthly pension to the de-
voted mother This, with what little the
Woodworking relatives can contribute,
furnishes the sole support of this family.
| If the income can be supplemented to
| the amount of "a per week, or sos a
lily can be kept together. Is not this
a worth while Christmas gift? sos.
Opportunity No. 3-Fourteen-Y Year
Old Hero.
world this lad is working, determined to
wrest from it the support of his mother.
brother and sister. The mother. refined
and well educated, formerly did clerical
work. She is now nearly blind, and not
she earns from 81 to So by day work
and laundry. This brave woman should
be enabled to keep her home for her
youthful wage-earner and the younger
children. and to enjoy some rest herself
and the chance to build up. To en-
courage our hero and enable him keep
his family IS per week Is needed. $3.50.
Contributlons-W. b. NJ. 30: tai,
SIS. Still needed, $500.
Opportunity No. 4-Let's All Back
| Martha.
Three years ago the society found
, this Woodworking and Industrious col
ored man. rapidly growing blind and
utterly discouraged, as he faced the
prospect of parting with his four moth
erless little ones and spending the re-
. mainder of his life in the almshouse
a plan was formed. Relatives contrib.
uted all they could and kind-hearted
people did the rest. A friendly visitor
helped train the eldest girl. then six
teen years. to take her mothers place
and she has become model house.
keeper. Now the second girl Is fifteen
and the sister who so pluck;ly is taking
the mothers place says: DO help me
keep Martha in school one more year
She wants so much to keep on at the
"a Delicate