Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-12-03
ROCHESTER SAVES
BY CHARITY CHEST
Duplication of Effort and
Money Waste Avoided in
Community Plan.
Continued From First Page.)

lied efforts. Both house-to-house So
soliciting, outside the chest itself, and
such affairs as charity balls and charity
circuses have been almost eliminated.
Approximately Sl,500,000 is raised
each year. This is contributed by a
larger number of individuals each year.
Last yearS100,516 persons contributed
about 81 per cent. During the 10 years
the chest asked for has been exceeded
four times and four times there have
been slight deficits, the greatest of
which was last year, when there was
much unemployment.
The Community Chest organization,
which for six years was headed by
George Eastman, the camera manufac-
turer, and which has on its board the
foremost business men of the city, is
solely concerned with raising money
and passing on budgets. The actual
work of welfare and charity is entirely
in the hands of the organizations
themselves. It is an inclusive chest.
Every organization in the city which
is considered to have legitimate eX-
cuse for appealing to the public for
funds, regardless of religious and racial
lines, is member and receives its pro-
portionate amount of the total secured.
A wildcat" organization in Rochester
now is practically an impoSSibility be-
cause the very fact that it had been
unable to secure admission to the chest
would serve as a warning to the pub
lie to examine very closely into its pur-
poses and performances.
Has Distinct Organization.
The Community Chest organization
&, = nj
the different welfare and charitable
groups, as such. It is an entirely dis
tinct organization. Some Of its officials
may be interested in other lines, but
that has nothing to do with their fund
raising activities. Once each year
heads of manufacturing concerns, de-
partment stores, banks and public utili-
ties-men whose time is invaluable
drop every other activity and devote
their whole energies for seven days to
raising money for charity.
Harry P. Wareheim, director Of the
Rochester Community Chest, has fig
ured that during the past 10 years the
city has been saved 616 campaigns, the
cost of raising money for charity has
been reduced from Is to 3 per cent, the
agencies have been assured of an IN
come, a much broader program for
charity and welfare work undertaken,
hundreds of persons interested in social
work, and duplication and overlooking
reduced to a minimum.
It has required education Of the pub
lic How far this has progressed IS
shown by the fact that the different
participating agencies actually turned
back approximately $4,000 last year,
representing the amounts they were
Iii - $r@y
budgets. This, say the Rochester
Chest officials, is very difficult point
to get across with the public. The
tendency at first is to look upon Com
munity Chest as grab bag from which
each society wants to get the utmost
and keep what it doesn't need. Only
by clear understanding of the func-
lions of such chest can this be ellml-
mated.
About a month before the start of
the annual campaign each OF the par
ticipating agencies submits its budget
with the estimated deficiency for the
year. They are required to make up
these budgets in accordance with the
principles of accountancy and all the
estimates are gone over by accountants.
Then committee of 40 vice presidents
of Rochester banks goes over the Wnoie
field to make sure that everything Is
on business basis.
The societies. hospitals, etc, which
participate in the budget have Jared
extremely well. They now are getGlng
So for ST. which they got before. They
are in the rood graces of the public,
willing to give for charity If they can
be assured that none of the money
will be wasted on unnecessary salaries
or frittered away supporting chronic
idlerS.
Work Separately.
Working side by side with the Com
munity Chest, but an entirely separate
organization, is the Council OF Soclai
AGENCIES. of which Oscar w. Kuoldt is
general secretary. It has been found
the wisest policy to keep the two in as
close cooperation as possible but not
to let the functions overlap. ms
serves as a co-ordinating body Tor the
organizations themselves, each OF Wnom
has representation.
It's function is to prevent overlapping
of activities, to conduct surveys, ano
to promote efficiency throughout the
field. It has recently concluded a
scientific study of the recreatlonai ouC-
look for the city and formulated plans
reaching 90 years ahead. IL serves as
a clearing house. Its genera iiiu 1s.a
probably Is the most compete III S.Iu
world. Here is filed the name Oh every
asked for aid, together with the So
c;aties that have been concerned Win
tho case the nature of the help tnat
has been given, and a general pacK-
ground of family history.
II has been found that approximately
an ner cent of those who seek cnarlty
have been on the rolls OF some society
before and sometimes have been re-
ceiving aid from two or three at once.
with the index system there is no dup
lication. The case is placed IN the
hands of one organization and all the
others leave it alone. More than ever
before is being done to relieve real dis
tress and the chronic "dead-beat" Is
finding it harder and harder to 1--we
without working.
zach of the SO local organizations
sticks to its own work. The projects
recurring welfare or charity activity
are talked over and placed In the nanos
of definite groups. Thus there Is no
duplication. Time, labor ana money
are saved. Unworthy projects are elm
mated before they have time 70 roster
themselves on CIle pcoPiC' AAOAC 40
continuous exploratory work-iargely
to determine preventive measures whicn
will cut down the need of relief in the
future From time to time agencies
which have outlived their usefulness
are discontinued and the work Of others
is changed.
The Community Chest, says Mr..
Wareheim, admittedly Is an autocratic,
self-perpetuating organization. Its Of
ficials are not selected from the people
who spend money, but from the men
who give money. This, he believes is
the most effective type of organization
for securing funds. The Council of So
cial Agencies, on the other hand, is
democratic organization. The two,
working together, form an ideal COM
bination, but their functions cannot
be mixed up. The purse strings must