The Detroit times., 1915-02-12
CHRIST CHILD
SOCIETY CARES
FOR DESTITUTE
Organization, Working Quietly,
Is One Of City's Most Ef-~
fective Charities
NO APPEAL FOR HELP
EVER FALLS ON DEAF EARS
Over 5000 Pieces of Clothing
Distributed Last Year and
ISL Families Assisted

So quietly that the general public
was not even aware Of its existence.
a brave band of Christian young wom-
en- known as the Detroit branch OF the
Christ Child society, under the leader
ship Of Mrs. Thomas Brady, of No. log
Chandlerave.. has been carrying on
an extensive charitable work In De-
troit for more than two years. and
has accomplished more real good and
scattered more sunshine than any Of
its members are ready to ac-
knowledge. Nor is the work Of these
Christian women connned to the holi-
day season and the hard winter
months: theirs is an ail-year-round
charity. for In the field which they
have chosen for their self-appointed
tasks there is constant need OF help
ing hand.
1--WE simply do the little things that
are neglected" was Mrs. Brady's mod
est summing up Of the activities Of
her faithful band.
I, And then she led the way to store
/
where her visitor gazed about him In
utter amazement. For here was a
miniature dry goods establishment
shelves lined with rows OF pasteboard
boxes containing infants wear; o
whole rack filed with women's coats
and dresses In all sizes; great stacks
OF boys waists and trousers, knitted
Jacket and the like; whole bolts OF
cloth for various purposes. and all SO
well classified that anyone familiar
with the system could pick out Civ
en- list Of articles In less time than It
takes to tell 1t and almost with ones
eyes shut
Up another flight of stairs, in the
attic, Is the mems department, just as
complete In its way and Just as well
systematized. There are coats to at
every back; derby hats In all blocks
and sizes, and shoes--an ocean OF
them. Why, you can scarcely see the
floor for shoes.
These are some OF the little
things" Mrs. Brady tells about with
characteristic modesty. This album
dant stock, which is changing con-
SANITY as fresh supplies come in and
the filed orders 60 out, is the princi-
pal working capital OF the organiza-
ton, but there 10 always substan-
tial balance IN the treasury to pro-
vide for cases OF distress that cannot
be taken care OF from the stores in
hand. ~.
And right here let 1t be said, to the
everlasting credit OF the Christ Child
society, not once In the two years
and two months of It's existence has
an appeal for aid gone UNDECIDED; not
one applicant for relief has asked In
vain. That was the way Of the Christ.
and 1t Is In His name that the work is
being carried forward by these good
Samaritans of the twentieth century.
Although essentially Catholic organ
ization, II distributes its benefactions
without regard to race, creed or color.
II Is Christian charity In the broad
est sense Of the word. Here Is just
one example:
The telephone rings. A voice at the
other end OF the line reports that an
aged woman In the far west end, who
has been refused pension (she Is
presumably q soldiers widow, Is
without fuel and is suffering from the
cold. In less than an hour wagon
Is on the way with q ton of coal for
the needy one, and the bill is sent to
the society.
SO the wellstocked store rooms tell
eloquent of the fact that many willing
hands have assisted In putting their
contents In condition and perfecting
q system for their expeditions hand
ling. And that's another chapter.
Every Tuesday afternoon, from Is
to 35 young women (they come in
their own electrics, many of them
gather In Mrs. Brady's home for the
weekly sewing bee and the work OF
distribution. Donations of clothing
that have been received during the
week, or brought in some cases by
the young women themselves. must
be gone over and put In shape before
they can be stored and classified.
While one group Is busy with Its
needles, another Is IN the store room,
sorting out articles and wrapping them
In bundles; In short, filing orders re-
ceived since the last meeting. And
IL the roads are not too dangerous,
those who have cars will deliver the
bundles In person, although the so
ciety Is receiving some real co-opera-
ton in the work Of distribution from
outsiders.
Just now the society Is specializing
In the matter of layettes. and the ma
lternity department Of Harper hospital
offers q rich field for its activities In
this direction. In the past week four
such outfits. complete in every last
detail. have gone to the hospital for
the wives Of unemployed men on the
Board OF Commerce list. The society
gave out 40 complete infants outfits
last year.
Thus week In and week out through
the year, winter and summer, this
work OF real charity goes on without
halt. The membership of the branch
numbers lao at present, and the work
ing groups keep on rotating from
Tuesday to Tuesday so that each does
its share. There were ISL families on
the books last year. and $3.50 pieces
of clothing were distributed. In adj
dition, each family was provided with
basket OF groceries for the Christ
mas dinner And all this I'm spite OF
the fact that Mrs. Brady, tho very
spirit Of the organization, has been
In III health for many months. and at
this writing Is unable to leave her
home.
incidentally. the members have
solved some interesting problems IN
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