A SETTLEMENT SHOP

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 3, 4 July 1938, Page 14

A SETTLEMENT SHOP

SUCCESSFUL NEW YORK

VENTURE

NEEDY FAMILIES HELPED

There is an interesting story in the way that a group of New York city women turned a need for charity into a business which actually pays profits— in the form of cheques to other philanthropic funds, writes a special correspondent in the "Christian Science Monitor." ' About nine years ago changing times and a changing neighbourhood led to the moving away of a settlement house located in the east 70s. There was no longer widespread need in the immediate neighbourhood, but there was concentrated need among some of the families who had previously been aided. In this emergency a committee of women, heade/i by Mrs. Sidney Hermann, became active. The women were determined that charity in most cases was more harmful than helpful. They decided to undertake an experiment. The remaining needy families in the district were organised, boxes and materials for covering were purchased, and the families set to work. As a convenient centre for their activities the women were given an empty store. The whole affair was a friendly one. The boxes were useful and attractive. Passers-by were attracted, and presently there was, a good street trade, in addition to orders which the women took among their own acquaintances. Then one of the committee members had another idea. She had been searching unsuccessfully for the type of maid's uniforms she wanted. She decided that it would be a good thing to buy a basic dress and set the good seamstresses on the shop list to making smart aprons, collars, and cuffs. So there were devised accordion-pleated aprons, together with hand-embroidered surplice collars and cuffs. These sold' rapidly, so the dress itself was added to the shop's list of merchandise. : When one shop was rented there was always a generous landlord ready to donate another empty store. But, after all, patrons do not like following a shop around on too frequent migrations, so permanent headquarters were established and many new lines added to the stock for sale. From the beginning the committee has adhered strictly to its policy of not soliciting money, but purchasers, and not giving charity, but work. And from the beginning' the business policy has been successful, so successful that not alone does the shop make work for the unemployed in its own neighbourhood, it also pays salaries to three workers in the shops, gives three scholarships annually to young people who otherwise would have to leave school to get work, and sends cheques to other philanthropic institutions and funds in ] the city. I

The fame of the Settlement Shop has spread so that many requests have come to start branches in other cities, but the committee intends. to confine its activities to its present work, although the women are glad to give information to others who wish to launch similar ventures.