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. , ., Com:r.--::...uni·~y Council o-$;the Atlanta Area inc. ONE THOUSAND GLENN BUILDING, 120 MARIETTA ST., N. W, ATLANTA, GEORGIA j 30303 TELEPHONE 577-2250 February 15, l9G7 I ... "r. Boinfeuillct Jones, President Emily and Ernest V.'ood:-.iff Foundation 230 Peacht:..·oo Strc0-t, N. W. Atl~nta, Gcor~i- ~0303 Dear Bo: ~ You &ad I talked recently about the Cor.u:iunity Council, whero it hns been, where it is ~oinr; and 'wh.lt it needs. The Council needs your hcl;, r.0.1, not to fu_lfill ori::;in;il o·.::,jcctivc.a (which it has done· in some c.cusu1·0) but to fit n new' rolo in t:i.le co:i;>lex and browin~ society which 1s Atlnntn today. W-~en,cstablishcd iu 19w, the Com1cil was ~ivon a ~rant of $50 ,oo:) a year fo-..· fi V3 ;yc.:.r.; by your ;?0:.1.,..,,C:.-i.tio::i. Tt.o Co;m:.unity CheGt ~.atchcd .this Stu::.. Tua goals w~r~ - solu-:io:.1s -. to find ccordinuto , i i i I i I .,I . to the p::-o·..:.le.:15 of ;>vv..,_··.::· pt:::ilic ~nd p:.. iv;:,te soci::il ~- - .. ~ie:l to , , to cli~inato ~nproductivo a~cncies throu~n wo~-:;ar / to provide tno co~.::1unity Chest with n decioioni.i.akinz ca,acity for its fund allo~ation pro~leras. ~ .. "'· At its ince;ition, the Council '\iJJ.S looked u;iv~ as a :;o·.:-:;::1tinl social planning and coordin:itinc force for an a:.c~ th~t !.:i-::.rnd any effective or~:miz::ition of it~ kind. I r~~cmb~r Co1£~il 3J~-:-d Eembers :mn.k.inz specc~c~ at civic clubs, pro.nisin~ ::ill . tbin~s to all people even bef ora it h:id a ;,rot css io:::1al executi v.a or ::..:...; t.:id .a chance to tr-uly ineasuro tile dimunsions ot the job. · S0::....: -;~ou::;ht of social planni~ as a study of n ainzle social a:;cncy. O"i:hc1 a saw it as a dotailed guide for allc-catini soci::il welfare ~ro~r.u..s for a 4 4 ten-year p,ariod. ' I iI I �·- --
·---· ··- --- -- - Mr. Boisicuillot Jones 2. February 15, 1967 Altbouza effective inn n~bcr of urens, ~ho Cou:icil spcilt a ~ood part of the first fivo years oearclling for a grip on social planni~ and problems tho.t l~opt zhi:ftir.;; and 1;ro-,1ine. Siuco 10CO, the Cou..,cil has ~ot a n~or o! t~o fou.i.ders' objectivc3. Othera it can moot within tho n~~t five year--~. Still othora way require diftcrunt upprroches from orizinally envisioned • . Let's look at the record. ,. On tho score of tho problo;:r.3 of povorty, the Cou..,cil: Ex~:ritontcd >11th no·.1 wo.ys of dalivcrin;;; sel"vicc.:J
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to tho per !.n We.:;t Zr.cl, ;:ar..icula::ly those
~hich ,;.,c,uld b.clp b.:-e~ th<J cycle of dependency
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Too~ the le:.d in pla.,nins Econo~io Opportunity
Atlnntn, Inc.
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Sup~lied tho social ~net find1n~ ~nd plnnnin3
aspects_ ot A~lantn' s Cc:-..:1unit:, Ir.iprove..""::.cnt
Pro,:r.i.n, on the b~is of ui1ich it no,;., is
helpinJ Atlnntn ap~ly fo~ fw::_c3 tw.d~r the
nctl Model Ci ties de:-.on;;tratioil pro,::.;in
Res ~stablis~cd an in!or-~~tion 04'"'.d rcf~r~~l
servico to help PO?Ple find a~cncy c~sista.nce
Pl~r.ncd th~ trninir.z prozrm :for ZOA aides and
is now or,cr~tinz a trainir.~ pro~ran for volu."1teers willin~ to serve in lO'!'i-incorae areas
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W:is' ~atcrially involv~d 1n other efforts such as
a wo~k cv::.lu.:.tio.::. cc;:;.ter, job do".tolo;.:::znt !or
ar.d !)laccrc-0,.t of old or wor!,:ci"s, a co;w:;iuni ty
school pro::;ran, devcloF,nent of low-cost hcusir-3,
lendinz to businc.sse;;; in ~verty areas and :usny
others.
In the are~ of coordina tin~ public and , riv~te soci~l n~encies,
the Council's offo:-ts have been effective in so.:::;;) cases but tnil~os
in other:s . The Pcr::.nne~t Conference hns been a prin~ry veaicle fo r
the Council in the fields of health, recreation atd ~elfaro. Sc::.a
ot the a chi ov~ c:lts have be.:in
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Boisfcuillct Jones
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Fcbrum-y 15, 18$7
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Establis!:i.~ent of n ~225,000 Ilospital and Health
Planninz unit ~s n rezular Colli~Cil activity
Spade work for a co~prchcnsive ~en.tnl hoalth
progrru;1 for Atlanta
Assiotanc0 to tho Mayor's Co~i::iission in its
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orzanization to
X>0linqucncy .
CO;:;;;)at
Cri~o rold Juvenile
Assistance in settin~ up r;:;ory's Co~~ittea
on Chronic Alcoholism
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On oli::.:ination of unproductive. a~cncie~ throu~h ner~er, the
Council's score is iow for rcusons outlined l ~ter in this letter,
It ~as involvod in tho ~er~o~ of a~cncies servln~ the blind .and
did devise a way to coordinate se~ices for the cldc~ly (Senior
Ci tiz~:i Services of l!etro:;>oli to.n Atlanta.) • Also, the CotL,cil' s
broad role has resulted ·in a n~~ber o! n~e~cies asking for con~ultation ~bout their ficlda too.void or to roco;aize duplications.
A n~:iber of propv3cd n;.::~1cic:; .,rore invcsti;:.,.tcd by the Council, sc.:ie
of v1~ich never 3ot o~:i.:..!.::::cd -.~()U t'!:e prc::ote:r., s:i.w they ;:,-ould bo
invol vi:1~ thci:.3el ves in f iclcs ....,hic}'l w.ere ~de,q,uately coverro.
On tho sco~e of p=ovidi~~ the 90:::.::;c~ity C~est with dccisionmnkir..z c~r,.:i.c1 ty for fund <i.llo-:1tion ;,ro'i.)le.::s. t!le Council ho.s not
yet don~ t:.c job. A oajo:- c!:!ficult:7 her-e !l;l.; ~ -:? en that soma
p,arsoD.$ tend to overs1~,liiy the t~sk, c~pcct~n~ ~ho Cou..~cil can do
a co~c1o::.tiou3, 80od job with · a sta:tf that is. woa:!:.illy inJ.de-quato
1n nt.nber a .. d backzrou::.d in!or.:ation. Tile co:;nu.,ity as .1 "aole needs
more 1~~0~--=-=,.tion on the b~sis o1 · wh1ch to mu~ · bett~~ decisions than
it has ;n the social field.
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start was z~da with t~e Council's " Ba~r
ound for D~cision
J.Iakir.~," a delineation of wajor social welfare ;>ro~=:.:.....--.s 1n Atlanta.
used o, the Corr;:;.uni ty C".:.~~t !3u~zct Co::-..-;;1 i:tee. The Ch~st nls o h.is
had in h~d for so~e tioe a Council pro~o3al for an in-d ep~~ study
o! rcc::0n.tion in Atlanta :lS the first o f a co::prehcn::: i V(: series of
studies in the social walfn~c and r ecreation ~re~s. Still, this is
the are~ ~hera tho CotL~cil c~n be faulte-0 cosi b1 Council !oi;r.dcrs
- and particularly Chest me:cbcr.; who ~es~eratel1 vant dccision-;;u~in_z
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hlr. Boisfcuill et Jones
Februa ry 15, l9o7
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help. \'Ii th perspccti ve r;aincd from six ye3.rs vith the Council, 1
feol tho Council can n.nd nust help the co::1,"";1unit.y oako better dccioions
but only und.er different co:1ditions .f1·om tho:.ic i n vn.1ch the Council
j has been oper.:.ting.
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Todny, the Council's role is n c~ed one . It shol.!,_ld bo
' looked to for so~e of the sa:ue thin~s envisioned by tho .fouDdcrs.
· Others ohould be souGht elsc·.;rhc~.a. Still othc.."s -which can e.-;.:l.n~ta
trc:a tho Cou;:icil ~y hav0 been only ~i.::u.y envis ioned seven yc~rs n~o.
This chan~e in role is the p:roduct o-Z chnn:::0<1 ~n Atlnntn, 1n aocicty
and in the experience of those of tis 'who. ho.vo grappled "Rith tho Council 'a mis3ion since the bc__;innin~.
As b~cl~ro~,d fol" l.:.nder3tnr,din~ th e Councn •s n ew role, let r;io
cite sowo o~i~ions.
Tho Federal C-overnment tod~y is pourir.~ ~o~sy into the uocinl
welfare field. Thou~h checked so.cc recor.tly by Cor:~r t'? ss. this trend
(~can be expected to continue. To ju8 tify this s t wer of rr.oncy, ~edernl
agenc1e3 must insist on plnns a ~ainst ~hie~ res~lt3 nay be evaluated.
In most co:r:::; unities, thore are no offoctive lo.c:all pl~n:i i n~ units,
encour<1;:ln::; Yedorc.l a~cncit:)s to do tr.air o·.:rn pbmnin::; :;-~thor thc.n relyins ·on loca l ;;roup3. Eve n if there ,;,•ore cf::ective loc.:11 l'l~n..,inz uni ta,
ea.ch e.zcncy oust do so:wc of its ~,n plnnnin~ orb~ dcr~lict.
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If Atl~tn' s ow:.i cit i::c.i:::; are to have a r e~ voice · in bo-:r this
Feder~l ooncy is to be z p~ nt ij th~ir own c oc:::nuiiity, th~y nc~d effective
ticdiu..--:is ;':or· ;.Xpression . Ou:- e lected r ~:::,:rc s2nt::i.tt. iv~s .ire on e :r:.:ditlJ':l.
T'Ae Cocn ci~ c~n be n~other--o nc thro~:h Wtllch A~ lan ta le ndc r 3 cnn diocovcr tho social facts c::>out their c o:::-.r:uni ty o.~ ~3.Ve a s::i.y c.s to the
type ot p:-o;:ra..-is th e y will or will not s u);,o:-t . In s o-.::ie scns o, the
Council h::i.s played this role out not to t h :; dcc:ire o t h .:.t 1 t c .:.n or should.
Th& Cou..,cil, then, mus t iirat baa source ~r info:;:-;;:;::ition. Its
Social P..c scarch Center 1s t ~e k e y to any oth e r q?,! fcctivc n e ss the Council
may have . It wust build up~ b ~nk o f t i ~el y amii reli ~bl e inf o:-r;iation ,
as woll as techniques to-: i:ctti n:; o-t:1-, er in!o r :.Jtti o:i Cl_uick l y 'rlben neodcd.
This sor t of co:::i..~uni ty r es ourc e is vital to f cd~ r il , stat e 3.nd local
gove rame n t s, to public and pri v.:..t e z.:enc ies , h 'l fo und::iti ona a:.1d to an
i nformed· public . Part o f t h.::, j o'.J h er<) is not (!X'.;]ly g:. t h c r i n;; t he informa t ion but di s sc:ni nat i ng i t b u.:::;ci ul :form, a j.D~ vh ich the Counci l .h as
not d one a d equa tel y up to t h i s t i Qo.
�Ur. Boistcuillot Jones
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Fcbru.:i.ry 15, 1967
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Socond, the Council must
be
tho vehicle thro~h \'lhich Atlcnta
citizen~ can b~~in to do tbcir C';ffi cc:::r:nunity plannin3. A ~njor ~nd
. difficult task clicad is ~h~t sou:e describe as dcvelopin~ o. conspectus
of Atlnnta's social ~elfaro needs, nn ovcrvie~ or a sketch sinilnr to
thnt produced by physical pl~nni~z groups. Without it, the city ~ny
co~tinue to ar:iclioro.tc syi-:ipto:ns, mistaking thcr:i for cnusc3 of so:10 of·
· our most pressing needs. Thus the Cou..'1cil bec:n ies not _only tho
planner' a planner but a plnnninz or:;~mi:;:;atio~ in its own rieht. It
can snd must abate a co:1;:;-,on ·.r.isco.1ccption that plannin:; a pro-_:;rn;;:i
for an individual n~ency is co~prcDcnoivc social plannin~.
Third, the Couccil wust t~ke tho initiativ~ in seeing that plans
are discussed ~~d inplc~c::.t ed. Since it is not u fundin~ body, it
roust be able to spc~k with n voice th~t is re5~8ctc<l by thoso ~ho
dispense fu.~ds to public znd p:.:iv~te accncics s~rvi~~ our co:;:::;iunity.
It must uso the tcchni~uc of E::x;x,si~g ~~encies ~nd others to tho
. facts of a problc.-..., such as it no'..' co e.3 throuia the P~r~ancnt Conference a~d as it intends to do ,,ith busincss::ien o::i: the subject o:f
une:iploy:a-:mt.
An~ finally, it ~ust b~ a consultive, ev~l u~tion u~d pro;ra::1
dev~l o ~cn.t sou:.:cc fo~· z.genc.:.c.3 an.:! ot~c ~·s. It is this l;:.:;t £crvico
whic~ ;:1:.ny in ti:0 c();-:::-,u::.i ty ;:;cc.-:1. to w.:1::it :::03t iro:n tbe Cou;-.cil and
whicc, under its prc3c~t orc~r.izatiou ~nd fu~d.in:, it is l 0~st cap..:.ble
of doir.c witnqut dive:.ti:1:; st::.ff fro;;:. t:1 2 fi:..:;~ three. A:-:.d without
the fir.:;t three jo~s und~r C() i"'. trol ,- tl:~ Ccu:1c i1 is not cap::.blo ot
do inc- t!lc kind of wor:: v:hich t~o co:::.~~i t;r s:ioc'ld de::i::md of it .
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Todsy, the Cou.icil is underfunded to do it 3 b~31C job~-f~ct!indinz, tnct disse=.i~~tion ~~d plnnnin~. We ~~Ve e~tin~tcd they
would re~uire ab out $200,000 ~ ye .. r invested i ~ a co~~ st~ I t ~ri::1arily .
devoted to those purposes. Eavinz a cor~ s~ a! t . the Counc i l t~cn
would be in position to t:lkC en the job of co.:uultinz, ~valu.1tion a::d
pro-zra::1 develozne-:it for !e-a:.s which would ;,:.y ! «>>r the addoo s ~:if!
requir~d and nttend~nt ov.:rh8ac!. '::he s ·~:.!!, im..::er this arrJ.:-~.:~~;:i.t,
would be ls~e cno~~h ta ziv8 th~ Council il~i bility. It nc:r;J doca
not bavo this ~ncuv c:..·J.~ili ty ..·~en _1 t rr.l!5t di ve:-; sor:::.-J one fr o::1 a
basic job to do a z~ccial joo which i::a;, or ::.:iy :wt be c on :31.:. -~eilt '.litll.
the cor a job . We hava hnd to c!o nore .. r.d .:or~ o! the s e Sp.:!ci al jo~
because they h~vc g iv~~ the Cou~cil a ~ 0 ~ ~.s of co-:it r acti n~ f or '.IO r~
wh i c..~ in turn h=-s ~ e ~~t inco~c ne~dcd just to ~~op t he cor e s t~!i
t o:cthcr. r~is vic i ous circle i n tho lo~; run ~il l lend to tbc
des tructi on of t h e Council as an effectiv e a_: e;;icy.
�Ur. Doinfouillot Jonoa
February 15. 1967
6.
Rir;ht no'.7 1 the Council nccd:J rolief fro;;1 ch:1Sir,3 special
11Ssizn:acnta th~t produce incc~o. It nee<ls to have et least wo
yearc-pr.efe:.:-ably thi·oe--during v,hic.h 1.t cnn
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Get the cor-e job well unden,ay ~ithout
divertinz personnel to othor work
Broaden fin~nci~l &upport tro~ Chest and locn1 ·
goverDJ,jont sourcez for 1 ts core work
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Add staff and cap.:lcity to take on the apccinf
jobs which ~o unny ~~cucics and pcraotln ~ant
the Co-..;:;ci:l to do nc,;.;. but only add P-:,"vple
as the level of :funded worl~ would ju~tify
Build o. ~ucn 3tro~~or base of understcndi~z
and supr,ort thro~h t:1e involvc::-;ent of a
1norc v~:.:-i ed a:i:d int;:)r~.;;tcd BcarJ of Directors •
These di~octor~ ~h~~ i~rcei:;:iz to serve ~ust
aerec ·to ti:G:e on o.cti v~ '"s.:ii~ents o.a well
as set policy
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Involvv youn:::;cr person~ fro::i all ;..:.rta of tho
co.::i.:.unity in Council work, t~er~~Y sorvinz
as a source of future Cou.icil directors.
Bo, ..,a need the help of you and your Fotmda.tion now. I ~ We need your advic~, assista~co, influence and ~e n~e<l oon0y ~hie~ I don't see co=i~ fro~ any other source in the co.::wunity ~ith tha speed or in the ~u:.ntity needed if the Council is zoin.-; to ~o !o:x-.1.:i.rd froo its pr~sent plateau. Be<:aus~ of my involve~nt in Ja:::.1a ic1. I'~ asking Duana to iet with you at the earlie~t op:,v:tunity to settle on what you think should be our next step in ~orking ou~ tLose thinz~ whica the Council needs so vary l.luch now. Bes7·e~axds . • /./ ,· //j.: t. ··'-· ~ {/, / "'. . . J:i:n.es P. Furnisg P. S. [/ copy of thi3 to Billy Sterne ~ho has nzrced to help on the non in~tion.s to the Arn scndinG a Council Board thia year. _ �
