Evening star., 1940-02-11
D. T.. Social Service
Exchange Planning
Observance FRIDAY
Efficient Methods
Used in Giving Doto
us Agencies

OSeO III StViH9 OUtu
To Us Agencies
Charity, too, has turned to biz
business methods, with speed ano
efficiency spelling the greatest gooc
to the greatest number.
Perhaps nowhere is this better
demonstrated than at the Socia
Service Exchange, a clearing
house" for information, and the
nerve center of multiple Communi-
ty Chest agencies.
Here thousands of cards are ex-
pertly filed, each with its individua.
or family record. Workers car
tell at a glance what agencies have
dealt in the past with applicants
tor assistance.
On the "key" cards at the ex-
change are the case numbers car
ried in the files Of the various
agencies.
Can Get Data Quickly.
Thus, case worker interviewing
an applicant can have an assistant
telephone the exchange for the
applicants record, If any, of previ-
Gus assistance. The exchange sup
plies the case numbers of the
records carried in the files of vari-
Gus agencies.
Calls to these agencies will pro-
duce the whole record, often before
the case worker has finished inter-
viewing the applicant.
The local exchange at Communi-
ty Chest headquarters, will parti-
cipate Friday in National Social
Service Exchange Day" to be OBJ
served by almost 200 agencies
throughout the larger cities of the
United States and Canada, it was
announced by Mary F. c. Leute
director of the Washington ex-
change and chairman of the Pub
hcity Committee of the associated
exchanges.
The exchange idea is 64 years old,
and operated at first as a means
OF detecting chiselers trying to OBJ
tain aid from several agencies at
once. AS the exchanges were de-
veloped in various cities it be-
came apparent their most useful
function was to husband resources
OF social service agencies and to
spare applicants for charity un-
necessary questions and delays.
us Agencies Served Here.
The Washington exchange an
eWers questions from ITS agencies
ana departments, including Federal
and District department.. hospitals,
clinics and out-of-town agencies. No
information is given out to private
individuals, who might be trying to
learn II neighbors were receiving
charity, or to commercial concerns,
such as credit agencies or collectors
seeking to locate debtors.
The exchange is connected by elec-
trio typewriters with the Health
Security Administration at 1923 L
street NV, where applications for
hospitalization or clinical treatment
are passed upon and permits issued.
Speed is often essential for this type
OF application, and the exchange
can clear the query and identity
the applicant in less than three
minutes, Other queries are received
by telephone, telegraph and mail.
A typical local case among the
many cleared daily might be that of
Mr.. Smith, who applies for assist
ance to the Family Service Associa-
ton at Eleventh and L streets NV.
Smith tells the case worker who
interviews him that he is out of a
job, his wife is i'll, there is no food
IN the house. no credit to be OBJ
tained, and his children are stayine
home from school because they lack
Shoes
While the worker talks to the ap-
plicant an assistant telephones his
name, address and other information
to the exchange. The exchange finds
the "key" card for the Smith family,
telling the number of children, the
type OF work Mr.. Smith does, and
how long he has been out of work.
Applicant Gets Directions.
The exchange says further that
Smiths family received aid from the
Public Assistance Division in 1884.
from the Catholic Charities that
same year, from the Salvation Army
IN 1885. and from the Parent
Teachers Association in 1896. The
case number in the files of each of
these agencies is supplied. The
worker in the agency then can learn
from the other organizations the
whole story of assistance given the
family from various sources-food
and clothing, employment, shoes for
the children. treatment for the
mothers illness. etc.
Before Smith leaves the Office, the
case worker interviewing him is able
to direct him to the agencies best
suited to care for his needs. He is,
for instance, sent back to the
Catholic Charities. which can help
him find job. while the Salvation
Army can provide food and clothing.
the PIT. A. shoes for the children,
and the District Health Department
nursing service for the wife.
The exchange keeps its "key"
cards up to date by taking new in
formation on various families and
individuals as they come to the at
tention of the cooperating agencies.
While the exchange derives most
OF its support from the Community
Chest, it earned $500 last year by
supplying services to Federal and
District Government agencies and to
out-of-town groups. The exchange
is a department of the Council of
Social Agencies.