Jewish and Non-jewish Agencies for Overseas Relief Form American Council

Representatives of 15 outstanding American Jewish and non-Jewish private welfare agencies, long active in the fields of overseas relief and assistance, today announced the formation of the American Council of Voluntary Agencies for Foreign Service.

The Council will be a cooperating body, whose objective is to provide a means for consultation, coordination and planning among themselves and with appropriate government agencies so that large scale relief and reconstruction programs, now being planned for destitute, war and Axis-ravaged populations throughout the world, may be developed in their fullest effectiveness. In a statement announcing the formation of the Council the agencies indicated that they were most anxious to coordinate their efforts with the services of the United Nation’s Relief and Rehabilitation Administration shortly to be set up.

Prof. Joseph P. Chamberlain, of Columbia University, member of the President’s Advisory Committee on Political Refugees and chairman of the Board of the National Refugee Service, is chairman of the Council; Joseph C. Hyman, executive vice-chairman of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, is vice-chairman. The fifteen agencies comprising the present membership of the Council, represent all religious faiths and areas of operations throughout the globe. They are: The American Committee for Christian Refugees, Inc.; American Friends Service Committee; The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee; American ORT Federation; Brethren Service Committee; The Congregational Christian Service Committee; Greek War Relief Association; Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society; International Committee of Young Men’s Christian Associations; International Migration Service; International Rescue and Relief Committee; Mennonite Central Committee; The National Board, Young “Women’s Christian Associations of the united States of America; Near East Foundation; Unitarian Service Committee.