The "Handbook of Social Resources of the U.S." has been compiled in response to an urgent demand. It has been prepared for the use of Red Cross workers and others who are in need of information on the health, nursing, social service, educational, recreational, and civic and community betterment resources of the country.

It is hoped that the material it includes will fulfill its purpose of aiding Red Cross Chapter workers and other readers in the task of bringing individuals and communities into touch with the agencies which can help them.

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INTRODUCTION

URING the War, the American Red Cross prepared a "Hand

book of Information and Instructions for Home Service Sections" for the aid of Red Cross Chapters and Branches throughout the country which were called upon to give service to soldiers, sailors, and marines, and their families, and to supply information on subjects of special interest to these.

The work with the ex-service man and his family continues to be a responsibility of the Red Cross. The Handbook for Home Service Sections is still in regular use.

The peace-time activities of the Red Cross have brought with them need for information regarding the social resources of the country, not merely in relation to soldiers and sailors, but in a great variety of other fields as well. To meet this need, the Red Cross is issuing peace-time handbooks of information and other informative material. The present volume, a Handbook of national resources, has been prepared by Red Cross National Headquarters. Since the former war service resources Handbook is still available, the new Handbook does not attempt to include information regarding agencies whose sole purpose is to render aid to soldiers and sailors, and their dependents. The supplying of information in regard to organizations and institutions of this character is left to the section of Service Claims and Information of the Post War Services of the Red Cross which keeps up-to-date the war-time Handbook and also sends out information in other forms.

The "Handbook of Social Resources of the U. S.", however, includes material in regard to agencies for the benefit of service men or ex-service men and their families if these agencies have a peace-time program as well.

The present Handbook also does not attempt to cover activities of a temporary nature, as to which information may be better furnished by circular letters, individual correspondence, and other means.

The peace-time national Handbook does not include information in regard to agencies which are regional, State, or local in scope, and therefore likely to be of interest only to individual Division Offices or Chapters of the Red Cross.

Certain of the Divisions of the Red Cross are issuing peace-time State Handbooks of information covering the social resources of some

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