High Point Empty Stocking Fund to Help 60 Needy Families, Dec. 21, 1922

Empty Stocking Committee to Help 60 Families in the City

The Christmas empty stocking committee, composed of representatives of the numerous organizations and churches of the city and which is arranging to care for the poor people of High Point in a systematic manner this Christmas, has been busy at work investigating the conditions among the families reported to it, and raising funds to buy food, fuel, clothing and other things with which to bring joy to the needy families this Christmas day.

Over $300 has been raised to carry on this work already and it is assured that more money will be secured in the next day or so. Donations of clothing and food have also been received by the committee, which is making the Salvation Army headquarters its base of operations. It has been requested that all persons wishing to give clothing and food turn them in at the Salvationist headquarters on Washington street. There they will be properly cared for and distributed.

The Christmas stocking committee will arrange for delivering the packages to the poor Saturday afternoon and Sunday.

According to information gathered by the committee, there are about 60 families in the city that will need help this Christmas. A number of these families have been visited by members of the committee in an effort to determine their needs. In some instances they found the most pitiful conditions.

At one home they found a man, his wife and seven little children in the most destitute conditions. They had no food, clothing or fuel. The house was cold and barren. The mother was just recovering from an operation. A 12-year-old daughter, the oldest child, was sick in bed. The husband was a laborer. He worked when he could, but his wages were not sufficient to buy food and clothing for his large family.

At another home they found an old man and his wife. He was sick most of the time and couldn’t work very often. The old couple did not complain. They said they had plenty of clothing, but needed a little meal and sugar. They were of good stock and did not like to admit their poverty, but they needed help, although they asked little.

Such cases were found. Some cases were even worse and some not so bad. The committee asks the aid of the public to help these people on Christmas day.

From the front page of the High Point Enterprise, Dec. 21, 1922