Evening star., 1921-03-15
DISTRICT CHARITIES
/. HAVE 3,264 DONORS
Number of Contributors
Jumps Today, But 1000
Members Still Needed.

Jumps l00ay, But I,UUU
Members Still Needed.
The number of contributing men,
bers to the Associated Charities and
Citizens Relief Association appeal
jumped to 3,264 at noon today. not
counting the returns from the booth
sales which were opened yesterday
by the Junior League.
The committee reports that not
withstanding the gratifying return in
numbers |. IS than $1,000 of the 500
900 needed to cover the threatened
deficit has thus far been obtained.
The equivalent therefore. of 1000 ad-
ditional associate members is abso-
lutely necessary if the work of th' Sc
organizations is to continue without
serious curtailment. The treasurer
of tho joint finance committee. to
whom checks should be made out. is
Howard S. Reeside, 923 II street
northwest.
Raise Former Donations.
Returns this morning at the Social
Service House, 323 II street northwest,
included n check from julius Garfinkle
& Co. Mr.. Gartinkle wrote to Chair
man Allies of the joint finance COM
mittee. 1t gives me great pleasure
for the Associated Charities. l think
it is our duty to take care of all
worthy causes at home.
S. Kann Sons Company sent an ad
ditional $500 to bring their contribu-
ton for the current year up to $500.
Others who have already given earlier
in the year are responding to the
urgent need for funds which these
home charities are feeling. Many per-
sons also who have never given to
the Citizens Relief Association are
joining the ranks of supporters of
these family welfare agencies.
Tells Of Work Of Fund.
Thomas Bradley, president of the
Board of Trade. today told of the work
of the provident savings fund of the
Associated Charities. He said:
1T was in 1905 that l first became
treasurer of the provident savings fund
of the Associated Charities. Although
often tempted to resign the position
since that time. because of the pressure
OF other duties. l have never quite been
able to do so. because, as 1 have
watched the influence Of the work from
year to year. l have become more and
more convinced that it is a form of
very practical and helpful philanthropy.
It's chief appeal to me has been the
fact that it teaches people of very linn
tied resources to form habits Of thrift.
The fund antedates by many years the
postal savings system of the govern
ment, which has now become 50 popu-
lar with small depositors. We know.
too. the amounts of money the govern
mont has been able to collect from the
sale of war savings stamps in small
denomina tions.
THE Associated Charities savings
fund was first established in 1896. The
deposits that year amounted to $3.50.
Last year they totaled $21.09O.S3. A
grand total of $192,97l.92 has been de-
posted in the fund during the twenty
five years of it's existence-surely no
mean sum- especially when we remem-
Der that the money has come from per-
sons living close to the poverty line,
persons who except for these savings
would often have had to ask for charity,
especially in the winter. when they cash
their stamps and buy fuel. warm CLOTH
ing. Or pay their rent when out Of work.
Features of System.
There are at least three outstand-
ing features of the system. First.
the collections are made chiefly by
volunteers who are assigned to spe-
cial neigh borhoods. In the course of
this work 42,147 visits were made by
volunteers last year. This method
takes the bank to the people instead
OF making the people come to the
bank. Second, the system lays tie
foundation for the habit of saving
When the habit is once established.
savers are urged to cash their stamps
and open regular accounts. with somS
one of our banks.
Third. and not least. it gives the
volunteer social worker, a natural
approach to neglected neighborhoods
and thereby offers opportunity for
real constructive social work with
these communities and the people liv-
ing in them. Opportunities are Of
fered to ask after the health of the
chlidren. to encourage regular school
attendance. to acquaint ones self with
the. general sanitation of the neigh
borhood and the degree of whole
someness of the family environment
One volunteer collector. a high school
teacher. repnrted after seventy months
or nearly six years of visiting. that
the people in a single alley on her
route. had saved $1.265.79. Others
have saved enough to set themselves
up IN business, to huy horses and
wagons for huckstering or teaming.
ana to make first payments on
houses. !
llliterate Man Helped.
"Only a few weeks ago one man who
mad accumulated over 5000 on his stamp
books was persuaded to transfer his
money! to regular savings account at the
bank. AS he was unable to read and
write, he could only make his mark by
way OF identification. Neighborhood
House in Southwest Washington has
conducted for many years Il station for
the sale of these stamps. The deposits
from the children and some of the
Srown-ups in that locality frequently to-
tai several hundred dollars a month
''The stamps are sold in denominations
ranging from penny to ). 10. % and so
cents and redeemable at their face value
at the central office of the Associated
Charities or any of it's branch Offices
The cost of operation in the way of saw
ings books and stamps and the service
of a cashier on part time more than alb
sorb the interest account. but the edu-
cational features of the fund are worth
many times more than they cost. Many
persons now regular depositorS in our
savings banks got their first lessons in
thrift from the provident savings fund