2.3: 1870-1893--Charity Organization Societies

Charity Organization Societies (1870-1893)

The Charity Organization Society is generally considered the forerunner of modern human services work. The COS was among the first organized attempts at providing assistance for the poor in the United States. The goal was to provide coordination and oversight of relief efforts for the poor.

The first Charity Organization Society in the United States was established in Buffalo in 1878. Like many social welfare agencies then and now, it struggled to make ends meet, at times having to cut programs or staff due to budget shortfalls (Katz, 1996, p. 45-46). To keep in line with the mission of helping the poor while also benefiting society as a whole, COSs had to abide by five self-imposed rules:

• Let no one go without the most basic needs (e.g., food, shelter)
• Do as little “moral harm” as possible to both the recipient of assistance and to the larger community
• Provide the assistance for as little time as is reasonable
• Fund such programs through as small a tax obligation as possible
• Inform the community that the needs of the poor will be handled in this way, so they do not need to take it upon themselves to further contribute to charitable causes (Katz, 1996, p. 72).

These tenets were embraced by New York COS champion Josephine Shaw Lowell (author of Public Relief and Private Charity), an early advocate of scientific charity, which claimed on the surface to be a new approach that aimed to push the poor closer to self-sufficiency as they were being assisted. The idea was that the poor needed to be given advice and taught how not to be poor (a parallel, to be sure, with Griscom’s Society for the Prevention of Pauperism), rather than simply being given monetary or in-kind assistance (Katz, 1996).

                                                                                                   

Mary Richmond​​
(Public domain photo)

This COS model employed people who were perhaps the first paid social workers—executive secretaries (usually men) who helped to coordinate applications, investigate financial means, and determine eligibility for assistance. These workers were trained to take on their roles and were considered professionals. Among the early men and women who trained these agents was Mary Richmond (who wrote what is often considered the first social work textbook, Social Diagnosis) and Edward T. Devine, who went on to found the Columbia School of Social Work, America’s first college social work program (Cox, Tice, & Long, 2016; Rasmussen, 2001).

Mary Richmond was the general secretary of the Baltimore COS (Martin, 2018). A strong advocate for social justice and reform, she demonstrated a far more compassionate perspective on the poor than many others during this time. She was well known for increasing both public awareness as well as funding for the COS movement. Her personal experience with poverty likely influenced her attitude. Richmond was orphaned at the age of two and later abandoned by her aunt, so she no doubt understood how circumstances beyond an individual's control could devastate their lives. Her conceptualization of social diagnosis is considered the foundation for the modern case management model. Social diagnosis was a process in which friendly visitors—volunteers (usually women) went to visit the poor who were receiving benefits. During those visits, the volunteers assessed the environment and the individual and offered guidance—save your money, don’t drink, consider putting your children into apprenticeship programs—that was meant to help the relief recipients to become more self-sufficient.

Although they were generally successful, it is important to note that in the COS framework, clients were not allowed to refuse the visitors when they stopped by; in fact, they were expected to display gratitude and deference throughout the interaction. Such behaviors were seen as indications that the charitable work was having its intended effect. Rather contrarily, it was believed that any show of independence on the part of the client represented ungratefulness. Insofar as they encouraged such shows of dependence on the part of relief recipients, Charity Organization Societies have also been criticized as perpetuating poverty rather than decreasing it (Katz, 1996, p. 70).

Attribution: Social Work & Social Welfare: Modern Practice in a Diverse World. (opens in new window) Mick Cullen & Matthew Cullen.