AMERICAN WELFARE
How do the themes of "deserving" and "undeserving" populations permeate the recent
history of American Welfare?
There are many instances where American deserving and undeserving populations were a
part of public welfare in the USA. They were divided into two groups:
1. The Deserving were the old age people, children, disabled who were allowed to take
shelter in poorhouses or what is known as almshouses.
2. The Undeserving were the capable people who lost their jobs, pregnant woman who
became mother before marriage and the lazy people who didn’t wanted to work.
These people were also allowed to take shelter in the outdoor relief camps and had to
look after the deserving people as most of them were sick, homeless, disabled and the
children.
But during the middle of nineteenth century the condition of these almshouses were
extremely poor and started to deteriorate. Many people died, there were illicit births, no
disciplines and management.
In the twentieth century, the New York commission, headed by the governor supervising the
poor state and the unhealthy conditions of the children almshouses, created Children’s Home
Bureau and Children’s Clearing House in the late 1916. The employees and society
administration were properly trained to look after the children and the disabled people of the
society under the supervision of the US government.
Then the pension system for widow also started which aimed at keeping the poor children
away from these almshouses. The social security act was passed where the United Nation
under the Federal state system decided to provide social security for the unemployed. This
scheme helped them to get jobs, unemployment insurance benefits. It was to assure the wage
earners to provide a rational option of job security. (Virginia Commonwealth University;
Origins of the Nation’s First Department of Public Welfare Established April 14, 1910; John
E. Hansan, Ph.D)
Discuss the human services organization you are involved with in these terms.
Yes, I am involved with Missionaries of Charity, Kolkata which was started by Mother
Teresa. She broadened the message of “Hearts to love and hands to serve”. She was from
Yugoslavia, who formed this society after the World War II in the city of Kolkata, India. She
wanted to take care of the poor, needy and the people injured in the World War II. They are
headquartered at Nirmala Shishu Bhavan (Home for Children), 78 AJC Bose Road, Kolkata-
700016 and Monica House, St. James Church, AJC Bose Road, Kolkata -700016.
(Volunteering with the missionaries of Charity; Verity Worthington Volunteer)
How their status as "deserving" or "undeserving' affects their access to power and
benefits?
The Missionaries of Charity take care of the dying destitute, children and physically and
mentally challenged people. They actively participate in government programs for upliftment
of the poor slum dwellers and the people living on roads. Government of West Bengal and
government of India provide benefits in the form of donations to this organization. It is
completely managed by the Christians but takes care of all the people of the society. They
also gets benefits from all over the world in the form of donations, clothes, foods and
medicines for serving the poor and the destitute living in the city of joy – Kolkata.
Appendix:
Virginia Commonwealth University; Origins of the Nation’s First Department of Public
Welfare Established April 14, 1910; John E. Hansan, Ph.D;
https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/recent/page/109/
Volunteering with the missionaries of Charity; Verity Worthington Volunteer;
https://www.motherteresa.org/07_family/volunteering/v_cal.html
