Evening star., 1924-12-14
a OPPORTUNITIES
OPENED TO PUBLIC
kiwanis Club First to Help
One of Neediest Families
in District.

For the fifteenth year the Asso-
ciated Charities offers to the Christ
mas givers of Washington 'ts annual
list of IA families, selected from the
many, others under it's care because
of special and continuing need. These
families are presented as Christ
mas opportunities" to those who wish
their gifts at this holiday season to
bring more than a passing joy and
happiness.
These IA opportunities should make
strong appeal, because in every in
stance the head of the household is
the mother. Ten of these mothers
are widows. Three others have been
left to shift for themselves and their
children by husbands who have aban-
,doned them. In one instance the
father Is chronically ill in the hos
pital. All told there are 60 children
and Is adults, including an elderly
grandmother. in these IA family
groups. Only four of the children are
over 16' years of age. There are IL
between IA and 16, inclusive
The plan is for such Of these older
children as have the capacity to take
vocational or business training, to
increase their earning power so that
they may be able to take care of
tehir mothers and younger brothers
and sisters in the near future. Sew
eral Of the mothers have large fami-
lies. In fact,~two of them have seven
children each and there are six chill
dren in two of the other families.
The number of children in the re-
naming families ranEes from two to
five each.
rknAr~H =
1t is to give these children a fair
chance and an equal opportunity to
make good that forms the strength of
this appeal. The object is to keep
these homes together throughout the
coming year, to enable the children of
school age to attend regularly, to see
that their physical defects are cor
rected, that they are well nourished
and otherwise normally healthy, in
order that they may make the most of
their home and school training.
The first announce ment OF these op-
poptunities is unique this year by rea-
son of the fact that, even before pub
lication, the Kiwanis Club has voted
to take care of Opportunity No. s for
the coming year, and has pledged $3.50
for this purpose. This family consists
of deserted wife and seven children.
None of the children is old enough to
work. The board of managers Of the
Associated Charities at its last
meeting In adopting a vote OF appre-'
citation for the generous action Of the
Kiwanians expressed the hope that
other civic bodies or clubs might also
find 1t in their hearts to follow the
example of the Kiwanis Club.
Friends of this appeal of other
years will miss from this years list
the quaint trio known as Opportunity
No. S, consisting Of three old people
all above IS years of age. One of
them has died during the year-the
only casualty in the entire list.of last
years IA opportunities. Another aged
person of the group is hopelessly Ill
in the hospital.
Total Amount Needed S13.3ss.
The total amount required for the
care Of these 50 children and Is,
grown-ups. in addition to what rela-
tives or their churches and others
interested are prepared to give, is
,$13,3SS. OF this amount, however,
thanks to the action of the Kfwanis
Club In voting to take care OF Oppor-
amount stands today as the oppor-
tunitics. are published for the first
time, at $12.42S It is for this sum
that the Associated Charities makes
appealsto meet the remaining l3 op-
portunities Gifts may be specified
for any one or more of these families,
and will be credited according to the
N.ontfnued on PaTe rs. Column 81