New-York tribune., 1918-02-07
Charity's Burden
Increased by War;
Help Is Needed
Association for Improving
Condition of Poor De-
scribes Years Work

lhe war has not checked the activi-
ties of the Association for Improvirc
the Condition of the Poor. But it ha
called for readjustmcnts, saws tho an
nral report Of the organization, issued
yesterday. 1t also has inspired the
officers Of the association with the con
vlction that the war must not be won
at the expense of the children of to-
day, who will be the citizens of to-
morrow. With this in view, the assc
cation will continue its work unabated
The total operating expenses of the
association for last fiscal year were
So'3,oOO. Here is what the organiza
ton accomplished with this amount:
o,i23 poor families, with 2s ,9o3 members,
We're assisted with money food cloth
ing. rent or friendly help.
4,So9 families were under care of ou,,
nurses; in these families 160T3 indi-
vduals were treated for illness ett de-
iects; in doing this 29,902 visits were
made by nurses
S0.432 days Of country outings were pro-
vlded tor 6,9ll mothers and children
during tho summer, the length of out
1ngs ranging from one to eight weeks,
according to the need
l2o. ,al days of care and treatment wore
given TO 66S persons at the associations
o nome hospital for tuberculosis.
oo' 1amliles were given continuous and
dehnlte instruction by detitians in cook
ing and general household economies
oo3 widows were given monthly allowances
to enable them to care for their l.Sl4
children.
dIS deserted wives. with .59T little chill
dren. received assistance: $l1457 was
secured for them from deserting hus-
bands.
45S men and women tmost of them hand.
capped were placed in permanent or
part time positions.
81 Old men were given daily work through
out the year at the Old Mems Toy
ls3 women were helped daily toward self
support at the associntion's sewing
rooms.
-o2 men en- were assisted at Briar Brac Lodge
alcoholic and drug habits.
"S,o63 bundles of clothes were washed for
families in tenement homes at cost at
-, the me wet yet =, was, wash la9rdry.
Milbank Memorial Bath
1926 meals of hot food were served to
working people at the peoples kitchen.
S2o;o0o children were served with hot
lunches at thirty fonr public schools.
Helps Families at Home
About S450,0OO went for the genera
work of the asso@ation-the relief O.
families i'll their own homes and tht
care of tuberculosis cases at tht
! home hospital, maintained by the or
! ganization. Rest and recreation fol
mothers and children called for S73,
600. About S43 900 was spent for pre-
natal educational work. The rest O
the expenses were for school lunches
physical welfare Of school children anc
similar activities
Concerning changes brought about
by the war, the report says:
The great increase in the cost OF
providing food, clothing, fuel and othe,
supplies has, however, made it neces-
sary to eXpend more for general reliet
purposes than during the previous
year. Rigid economies have been made
wherever possible. Some ten members
of the board of managers of the asso-
citation are giving their whole time
directly to war work and others are
rendering part time service. MANY of
the trained staff of visitors and nurses
and other workers have been given over
to war service.
Contributions Solicited
owe now come before you again with
this brief resume of the years activi-
ties the report continues, land ask
you frankly 10 cOnSldcr now intimately
this work in the community affects
YOU, for. after all, the health, comfort
and progress of each person in our
midst is indissolubly bound up with
that Of every other. If the work we
have done is the kind of work which
you think ought to be done in the
community of which you are part, VIC
would ask you to Join with the many
others who are making great personal
sacrifice in order to insure its effective
continuance"