Associated Charities of Boston

The Associated Charities of Boston was an American organization that played a significant role in organizing and running Boston's charity network in the late 19th century. Under the guidance of social worker Zilpha Drew Smith, the organization consolidated the city's principal social welfare agencies. Smith's responsibilities included supervising the confidential investigation and registration of charity cases, ensuring inter-agency cooperation, and establishing a system of "friendly visiting" to address the root causes of poverty within families. The Associated Charities processed cases with remarkable efficiency, allotting responsibilities by district and utilizing both paid and volunteer agents. Smith also pioneered training classes for administrators and visitors, and organized discussion groups for agents, making Boston a model for similar organizations nationwide.1