A total of 12, 082 Jewish men, women and children in Poland are receiving social welfare assistance this month from the Joint Distribution Committee, it was reported here today by Charles H. Jordan, JDC director-general for overseas operations. He told a meeting of the JDC executive committee that the total number assisted in the six months since the renewal of the JDC program in Poland was well over 15, 000.
“Not included in the 12, 000 figure are newly-arrived families repatriated from Russia who received cash grants earlier this year, nor the individual artisans and groups who received loans to enable them to purchase needed supplies and equipment, “he said.
“The size our program has attained in the first six months of operation is evidence of the great need that existed for special services that the Polish government was not in a position to meet unaided, “Mr. Jordan reported. “Although designed largely to serve the repatriates from Russia, the program also helps the sick, the aged and the handicapped persons among the settled population. “
Repatriates continue to return from Russia, Mr. Jordan stated, and during the past month 544 families, numbering 1,600 people, received one-time grants to establish themselves in their new homes. In addition, 251 new social welfare cases, representing 750 persons, were registered
Assistance to the 12, 082 listed on the Polish JDC rolls for May included one-time grants for new arrivals, monthly grants to the physically handicapped, care of the aged in their own homes and in institutions, medical care, monthly grants to needy students, child-feeding programs in 12 cities and vocational training programs. JDC has also made special grants for the restoration of ruined or neglected Jewish cemeteries and for the observance of Jewish holidays, and has set up medical supply centers in three cities.
Mr. Jordan called special attention to the vocational training program operated by ORT with the financial participation of JDC. “The ORT courses are now operating in 14 cities and are teaching trades to 1, 241 adults in schools and 155 in established factories, plus 221 minors in schools, ” he said. “In addition to paying for the instruction, we make monthly grants to students who are heads of families, so that they can take care of their wives and children. In addition we are financing kindergarten program in two cities, Wroclaw and Legnica, to take care of the children of mothers who are enrolled in the ORT vocational courses.”
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