Caring for the Urban Poor (3)

Perhaps the most effective relief organization for the poor was the Charity Organization Society (COS) of Buffalo, New York. A private organization modeled after the COS in London, it was founded by wealthy citizens who embraced the
work ethic, yet had compassion for the deserving poor. The COS sought to infuse efficiency and economy in programs serving the poor, as well as organize charities in an effort to prevent duplication of services and reduce dependency on charitable efforts. Like the Association for Improving the Conditions of the Poor that preceded
it, the COS emphasized the necessity of assessing the condition of the poor and added the dimension of engaging “friendly visitors” with clients in an effort to guide, rehabilitate, and help prepare for self-sufficiency. The COS had little sympathy for chronic beggars, viewing them essentially as hopeless derelicts.