Evening star., 1945-09-09
$4,000 Boost
In D. {. Welfare
Budget Asked
Boord Says Test
Shows AIIotments
Are insufficient

Welfare ofdcials have informed
the Commissioners that a SIS, 900 in
crease In the public assistance
budget will be required next year
to meet the minimum standards re-
quired to keep families in health.
Underscoring the recommended
increases was a report released yes
terday by the Board of Public Wei
fare showing that families of the
District Congress Of Parents and
Teachers, who volunteered to test
the sufficiency of relief grants, re-
ported they had to spend as much
as 29l per cent more for certain
household items than is granted re-
lief recipients.
Ray L. Huff, director of welfare,
said a study of relief needs would
be made at the end of this month
and that decision would be made
then on whether any supplemental
appropriations was required for the
present fiscal year. Mr.. Huff said
the relief budget used in the suffi-
cheney test did not reflect the 10 per
cent cut relief recipients took be-
tween December of 1914 and July /
the beginning of the present fiscal
year.
Instructions Are Given.
Raymond F. Clapp, assistant to
Mr.. HUH, said a group of social
workers has been assigned to give
instructions on how to make both
ends meet on the present relief
budget and how to use what is hoped
will be larger budget next year
The budget this year is 81 300, 900 for
approximately 1000 recipients.
Thirteen families of three per-
sons each, taking part in the test
of the Congress of Parents and
Teachers. said that while the well
fare budget allows $40 a week for
shelter they required So to s25, or
rs to 291 per cent more. The fam
lilies were those. with two adults and
one child under 13 years of age.
The total weekly budget allow
ance for family of three is $2l35,
but the school families found that
they needed from $28.55 to $48.01,
"a to l25 per cent more than is
granted for relief clients.
The board allows such families
of three $8.70 a week for food. The
volunteers found that they spent
from $500 to $2o.37, or to 1873 per
cent more than the board allow
ance In two cases, where there
were two adults and a child of 13. it
was found expenditures ranged
from s24.50 to $6262, contrasted
with the welfare allowance of $21.35.
| Spend 2l1 Pct. More.
| In testing IL families of 4 per-
sons each, the Congress of Parents
and Teachers reported to the We'll
fare Board that the amounts spent
by the families ranged from $2647
| to $76, which is from to 2ll per
cent more than the $24.40 allowed
by the board.
Eleven families of persons each,
who would be allowed $27 week If
on relief, had to spend from $37
to S65, "a to 135 per cent more than
the welfare budget. The smallest
amount spent for food was SIS, COM
pared with $3.50 allowed by the
Welfare Board. A family Of six
persons spent $37 a week contrasted
with $3.50 allowed by the board.
The amounts spent for food by fam
lilies Of were $22 to $25, although
those on relief get $17.65.
Forty-eight questionnaires were
received from families, of which %
were from the Northwest, 18 from
the Northeast, 7 from Southeast and
the other reply did not indicate any
address. The week during which
participating families were asked to
keep a record of their household ex-
penses was March 19 to "a of this
year.