The Pantagraph was always filled with the happy stories of the residents of Central Illinois and sometimes the announcements of sad deaths. In November of 1915, however, the Associated Charities began to think of the hardships that would be faced by the poor. On this date 100 years ago, the Associated Charities reminded the comfortable citizens that some of their neighbors were not so comfortable and that they were not so well fed. A plea went out for more food, more fuel and money to help the poor. The AC were of course careful to let the good citizens know that their money would not be wasted on the undeserving poor, or used to unduly enrich these people.
They presented to story of two poor women left destitute by death. One woman had four children, and a wooden shack with a washed out foundation teetering on the edge of Sugar Creek. Her husband had purchased two lots and built the shack with scraps of lumber and then died. The creek had risen and washed out the foundation, leaving her with walls that let in cold wind and a floor that let in cold, wet wind. Because she owned this land, she was not eligible to receive the Mothers' Pension. She was dependent on the Associated Charities for food, but no amount of coal would keep the home warm.
Another frail, elderly woman was widowed with just one daughter. Her fifteen year old daughter worked and made just four dollars a week working in a local factory. The daughter had "stooped sudenly when at work and broke a rib." Imagine a fifteen year old in such bad condition that stooping suddenly could break her rib. Even in 1915 four dollars a week would not buy even a tiny amount of food for each day of the week.
The Associated Charities were fighting poverty, malnutrition and lack of education. Children who had to work to feed a family could not get an education and without an education, finding a meaningful income was impossible for a woman.