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AMERICAN RED CROSS

MIDWESTERN AREA
1709 WASHINGTON AVENUE
ST. LOUIS, (3) MISSOURI

January 10, 194%

TO Chapter Chairmen
War Fund Chairmen
FROM The Menager
SUBJECT Junior Rea Cross and the War Fund

In developing your War Fund plans, you will, of course, set up organiza-
tion for the solicitation of contributions from school administrators, teachers,
school office personnel, and the janitorial force. These groups have traditionally
been both generous and cooperative. We are asking that pupils be omitted in your
solicitation of contributions from school groups. I am sure you are well aware and
justly proud of the magnificent program of the American Junior Red Cross. In part,
it includes financial support of local services, a program of production of comfort
and recreational items for men in the armed forces, and support of the National
Children's Fund. The money raised by Junior Red Cross members for the purchase of
materials for the making of millions of articles highly prized by the armed forces,
represents, for this part of our Red Cross memtership, a tremendous outlay of money
as well as effort. Again, through the National Children's Fund, the American Junior
Red Cross helps soften the blows of adversity for great numbers of children the world
over.

There is evidence to suggest that in past years boys and girls have con-
tributed very substantial sums to War Fund campaigns. However, as you know, the
Junior Red Cross membership has an enrollment-program financing campaign of its own
in November. From time to time during the school year it is necessary for the Junior
Red Cross membership to supplement this November income in order to carry on its
greatly expanding local, national, and international service activities. It would
represent a handicap to the development of those programs were we now to ask them to
divert their resources to other channels.

Although we shall not solicit contributions to the War Fund from boys and
girls, we shall have splendid support of other types from that group. Probably no
generation of young people has ever been so acutely aware of its stake in and obliga-
tions to society. The attached letter addressed to Junior Red Cross Chairmen from
the Director of Junior Red Cross in the Midwestern Area suggests some of the services
which boys and girls will be prepared to offer your War Fund Committee. May I urge
that representatives of the War Fund Committee, school and adult Junior Red Cross
leadership, and the Junior Red Cross membership develop a program of War Fund service
for boys and girls? We shall thus provide these young people with a full measure of
participation in bringing the War Fund campaign to a successful conclusion.

 

Enc.
Letter Copy Manager

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