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Show RED CROSS CLOTHES !. THE NATION'S NEEDY 3: . - Flour, Bread, Clothing Reach Into More Than Five Million Homes of Jobless The greatest task ever undertaken by a relief agency in the history of private charity is drawing to a close with the final ' distribution of cotton clothing to more than five million families by the American Red Cross. At the direction of the Congress, be ginning eighteen months ago, the Red Cross undertook to convert the wheal and cotton surpluses of the Farm Board into food and clothing for the-unemployed the-unemployed and needy. In the con sequent operation, this relief agency entered upon a commercial enterprise greater than any single commercial firm has ever undertaken in the same period of time. In the ensuing mouths the Red Cross converted 85.000.00U bushels of wheat Into flour and bread and gave it to 5,803,000 families. The distribution was through 3,700 Red Cross chapters and hundreds of other charitable agencies. agen-cies. During the severe northwestern drought of 1031 the Red Cross also gave wheat in the form of food for 'livestock 'live-stock to 184,188 families. The clothing dresses, underwear, overalls, jumpers, sweaters and stockings stock-ings for men, women and children, and even blankets and comforters was distributed dis-tributed to 5,465,410 families. More than 54,000,000 ready-made garments and 92,000,000 -yards of cotton cloth were given to the needy. This clothing came from 844,000 bales of cotton. The wheat distribution was conclud ed in June, 1933, and final distribution of cotton clothing is occurring in the fall months. In handling these tasks voted to it by Congress, the Red Cross will expend ex-pend from its own treasury $735,000. At the same time the organization carried car-ried on its regular program of disaster relief; of service to the veterans of all our wars; of educational and welfare work through the Junior Red Cross: of health education and public health nursing and of life saving and first aid Funds for this work come from the membership roll call the Red Cross chapters conduct from Armistice Day to Thanksgiving Day, when every one s invited to join the Red Cross and aid in this vital relief work. |