Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-11
GENEROUS CITIZEN
TAKES TEN FAMILIES
Sends Check for $l,248 to Care
for First Ten Opportuni-
ties Presented.
NAME NOT TO BE GIVEN OUT
Ten Next Most Needy Cases Are
Presented-Other Contribu-
tions Acknowledged.

patch published "a lis, Of ten "Oppor-
tunitics'' for constructive charity in
Richmond presenting the cases OF ten
families in need OF assistance to tide
them over the winter. Yesterday a
generous hearted citizen of Richmond
gent his check 10 The Times Dispa; ;ch
for sl.24s. covering the needs OF all
ten. The oniy condition attached to
the check was that the namo OF this
public spirited man should not be made
public.
In presenting the Opportunities"
The Times Dispatch gave no names or
addresses. Through tho visitors OF
the Associated Charities each case has
Teen carefully investigated and the
facts asccrtained. Their ne;Ehbors
will never know OF their distress and
the recipients will never Know through
whose generosity they have been re-
licvcd. but in ten Richmond homes
yesterday assurance was given that
present needs had been met, ten fami-
lies are kept together. ten homes are
retained to the community and fifty
one people are relieved of the burden
which has been haunting them as win
ter has come upon them.
INTERESTING CASES PRESENTED
AMONG THE OPPORTUNITIES
Then ten Opportunities" Included a
widow with seven children. the eldest
thirteen; Il family in which the hus-
band has tuberculosis, with wife and
three dependent children: an old couple.
the husband paralyzcd and wife deli
cate; another case. in which the hus-
band has tuberculosis; husband who
has recently undergone serious opera
.s,v
children: husband in Pine Camp, suf-
f6rinE with tuberculosis, leaving n wife
and six young children at home; Il
husband physically pacitated for
WORK. with wife and three children:
two brothers and a sister living TO.
gether. the sister in feeble health and
case. with the husband In Pine Camp
with a wife and two children ct home
and case Of widow with four little
children, dependent on her for sup
port.
AT tho request of The Times Dispatch,
Dr.. James buchanan. superintendent of
tie Associated Charities. has selected
ten other worthy families needing as.
sistance. TO their necessities have been
credited contributions which came in
yesterda: in response 10 the appeal OF
Sunday. In no case will the name or
address Of the recipients be given.
Experienced women of the City Mis-
sion, connected with the Associated
Charities, have visited all OF these
families, ascertained their needs and
vouch for the .acts as stated.
NEW OPPORTUNITIES"
DESERVING OF Liberal AID
eleven to twenty. inclusive are a widow
with four dependent children. family
undernourished; husband physically
inca apac!tated, with wife and nine chill
dren, seven OF them underfed; an old
couple. husband paraiy:ed and wife in
feeble health; a husband in Fine Camp,
with mother making a brave struggle
TO keep her four children; a husband
who has undergone an operation. ,rith
a wife and seven children at nome;
husband with tuberculosis, with
delicate wife; q husband incapacitated
for work. with no prospect of recov-
ery; a husband with limbs amputated,
whose e!sEty-year-o wife mends
bags; a husband injured year ago
and still unable to work. and widow
in delicate health. with two dependent
children.
The charity problem Of this season
is different from former winters. There
is no uneluployment-in fact. employ
ers OF all kinds are in need OF help
and the advertising columns are filled
with offers o! jobs for men and wo-
men. Whatever may have been the
case in former years, there is no ex-
cuse for the able bodied street beggar
Money given to loafcrs merely encour-
ages their idlencss and slow up the
wheels Of industry by countenancing
the man III his shiftlessness.
The Opportunities" presented are OF
a different type. Often. through no fault
CT theirown worthy families are reduced
to want. Tuberculosis Is the most fire.
quent cause The father becomes i'll,
the wife and little ones become dest!-
tute. With a little judicious aid, per-
haps the house rent paid or little
nourishing food bought for the invalid,
school clothing for the children,
, blankets or fuel the family may be
KEEP. together tided over it's time or
need and if not shamed or pauperizcd
BY publicity. may again become ueefri
Cnits in the city's social and religious
life.
CHARITY tF htHD THAT Is
NOT OSTENTATIOCS s
Charity ot this sort is not ostenta-
tious. There are no snowy oresenta-
| tions of Christmas stockings, no
| Gorge" OF good things over the holi-
days. with neglect Of all other seasons OF
the year Where conditions justify the
money given is trusteed for tho benefit
of the specific Opportunity" and
the trustee pays the rent as 1t becomes
Cue or meets other obligations as pro-
vided in the terms Of tho trust. The
plan obviates waste and has been found
to work to the best interests OF the
bencficiarics. In one of tho instances
presented last year. REV. G. MacLaren
Erydon was named as trustee for one
OF the Opportunities" His letter
printed in Tho Timss- Dispatch last
Sunday tells OF the gradual re-cstab-
lishment of thla family OH aoif.re-
Continued on second Pase)