The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-02-14

tons. At the beginning Of the year, you also loaned my services on half-time basis to the city of New Britain where a relief organ ization similar to the Mutual Aid was perfected. Consultation ser vice was also given several other cities such as Bristol, New Lon- don, Winsted, Shelton, Derby and Ansonia"
 MT. Harris praises the work of Mrs Mary D. Camp, saying that she not only carried case load a less experienced worker would have found impossible, but also directed the clothing relief of the Mutual Aid and supervised the Mutual Aid Investigating staff. His repore continues.
 While many of those who come to us in these times are seeking assistance in the form of food. clothing, fuel, milk or medical aid, we have had 555 families in which intensive case work was re- quired. Some of these cases have been reveiwed in your board meet ings 50 that you are familiar with them. Three hundred thirty of the cases were families known to us in other years, but 225 of the families came to us for the first time. Some idea of the size of the families can be gained when we not that the 555 families con- tained 2,450 persons-1, 395 under IA years and 1,144 over that age.
 "The tendency noted last year in our case work, when for the first time American families pre-. dominated is even more pronounce ed this year when we list 240 American to 158 Italian, fl Irish, 28 French. IA Lithuanian, IS Col ored, 10 Russian, nine German. nine Polish, six Scotch and six English.
 :, 'The total cost of relief given by the Lincoln House in 1893 was $9,455.56. The largest item in this budget was milk for undernourish- ed children, which cost us $3,- 222.18. We are indebted to the Leavenworth fuel and rent fund for $1,1O0.95 and to the Gene Ker- ner mild fund of the Rotary club for $972.50. The local chapter of the Needlework Guild of America has made it possible for us to dis tribute 2,495 garments, including undergarments, dr e sses, pants, sweaters, stockings, shoes and other articles of clothing as well as blankets.
 In cooperation with the Chase Memorial dispensary we have spent $S78.65 for spectacles. $1,096.55 has ben given in special cash al- lowances for worthy projects as the special diet work of, the nu- tritionist of the Visiting Nurse as-. sociation. Through special ar engagement with the Waterbury hospital and St Mary's hospital, we have been able to give medical care to many worthy cases. Thanks to the food distribution of the Mu- tual Aid and the federal surplus fod administration, we have been able to keep this item, which is usually the largest in our budget to the low figure of $233.99, which was spent only for emergency pur- poses.
 Miss Elizabeth Gustafson's re- port on the work of the Travellers Aid indicates considerable increase in the number of cases handled In lSOOs OuO AuuuL Co dAu tAAi iSS PSA sons were referred to this depart ment involving 47 families. Case were requested in 31 instances. Outside of the fact, that Travellers Aid reports always seem to come on, Saturday, the volume of work involved is evil denced by the record of Al vists, 55 interviews at the office, 59 let ters written and 19 telegrams sent "We are making excellent prog ress in the organization of our shop for the aged and physically handi- capped. Not only are we selling brooms to most of the larger in dustries, but we have found that certain workmen can make a good weeks pay by selling brooms' to their friends and neighbors. Other projects are-chair caning, furni- ture repairing, shoe making, knit ting of stockings and sweaters and production of children's clothes.
 I've must view with the same degree of apprehension the fact that our income has fallen in three years from $32,000 to approxi- mately $21,000. During this pc. riod we have drawn on our reserve funds funds to the extent of over $S,O00, leaving a balance on hand of less than $1,500, which right. fully belongs to our building fund for such exigency as a new heat ing plant or other needs which may confront us in the near future. Death and business reverses have reduced our income from guar antors. For the same reasons our general contributions have dWind- led and our beneficiaries have been greatly reduced by business condi- tions.
 May I suggest that sub-com- mittee on finance be appointed from the incoming board, which will meet frequently during the coming year for the purpose of studying. carefully the finances of the organization"