South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-12-24
Associated Charities Reports
Calls From Poor More Num-
erouS and Responses
Equal Occasion.
BASKETS OF FOOD Sent OUT
TO HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES
Private Charity Under Organ
lied Direction Goes to All
Parts of City and In
StitutionS.

1t will be the happiest Christmas
South Bend has ever known,
Happiest for the merchants for
never before was there such a ire
mendous holiday trade; happiest for
the manufacturers and business men
in general for never before was there
such prosperity, never before such
bright prospects for the coming
year; happiest for the workers. for
never before have their employees
been so generous with their bonuses
and salary increases and Christmas
gifts; happiest even for the poor and
the unfortunate, for never has the
spirit of Christmas giving, of Christ
mas generosity, been so pronounce
ed.
There will not be a home in the
city, at least none that have been
heard OF, that will not have some
Christmas cheer. Every appeal for
help has been answered. The pros
porous have opened their purses
and wherever poverty and want has
been found, something has been
done TO relieve il.
That undefinable something. call
ed for want of a better definition
the Christmas spirit has never been
so pronounced here. There has been
more Christmas giving than ever be-
fore and especially have the poor,
and the sick, and the unfortunate
been well taken care Of.
Everybody Gives.
Five hundred baskets weighty with
good things that bring cheer on
ed by the Associated Charities alone.
Fifty baskets were given out by the
Salvation Army. The Rescue Mis-
sion. The St. Vincent de Paul So
ciety, the churches throughout the
city, high school students, and in
dividuals without number, have
| Joined in bringing comfort and hap
| piness into the homes OF the poor.
No call for help has been left I'M
needed, for, although the calls were
more numerous than ever before,
due to the high cost of living. and
the large amount of sickness now
prevalent in the city, the givers have
been more numerous than ever be-
fore and the gifts more generous.
The hearts of nearly a hundred
newsies were gladened by the album
dent gifts which they found on the
Christmas tree set for them Saturday
evening at the Y. NJ. c. A. by the
newspapers of the city. The 200
orphans at the Orphans home will
have a CHRISTMAS never TO be for
gotten. The festivities there began
Friday night and will continue right
on through until the last piece Of
candy is eaten, the last bit Of the
Christmas dinner has disappeared.
and the last toy is destroyed. The
116 unfortunates at the county farm
will have such a dinner Sunday as
they have not eaten in years. AT the
Salvation Army home, 80 "derelicts
OF society, who are nevertheless
able 20 support themselves by odd
/ jobs, will feast. Even the inmates OF
the jails and the municipal lodging
house Will not be forgotten.
Private Generosity Organized.
The general good cheer which will
prevail among the poor Of the city
Christmas day has been made posi-
bic by private generosity handled
through organized charity. The great
clearing house of charity had been
the Associated Charities All the ap-
peals for help have been turned in
here, and here all the churches and
organizations have sought for OBJ
jects OF charity. This wear the call
for help was larger than ever be-
! fore and several days ago the com
mittee in charge OF the work al
most gave up in despair But the
public's response was magnificent
and when the office closed late Sat
urday afternoon. nothing was left 70
he done. A bout 500 Christmas din
ners. not 20 speak of the coal. cloth
ing. and money. or the toys and
candies for >he children, were Civ
en- out by the Associated Charities
alone. At least as many more were
, distributed ~ the Salvation Army
other charitab BILE organizations and
/ private parties
Baskets Well Filled.
/ The baskets given by the Saliva
J ton Army serve as a good example
OF the abundance Of the other din
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