An excerpt from The History of Near & Far Aid “Out of the Ordinary”. Olivia H. Dunn
In the 50 plus years of its existence, Near & Far Aid has evolved from a small “kitchen table” charity to a group of community leaders working to end poverty in Fairfield County, Connecticut.
The seeds of what would become Near & Far Aid took root at the Naval Air Base in Pensacola, Florida during the early years of World War II. Mrs. Julian Fay, who was stationed there with her husband, a naval pilot, was involved with a Woman’s Auxiliary group. It was composed of servicemen’s wives whose husbands were on active duty at nearby Army and Naval bases. Their “Project”, as it was called, was twofold, local and overseas.
Locally, they worked with handicapped or elderly people, crippled children and naval personnel back from the warfronts. A touching story defines the overseas part of this “Project”. A number of young British and Free French pilots were killed while in training at these bases and were buried alongside their American counterparts, all of whom had no families to claim them. Knowing that it would be impossible for their families to cross the ocean, the women of the Auxiliary decided to make Christmas wreaths for the graves of these overseas servicemen. Close-up photos of the graves were taken with the wreaths, emphasizing the names on the individual crosses. These photos were then sent abroad to the British and French families and the appreciative response was overwhelming. With this encouragement, a more practical means of fostering goodwill was undertaken by the Auxiliary. Hearing returning servicemen speak of the deprivations being faced by people in communities all over Europe, they began packing up boxes of clothing, medicines and other essentials and shipping them where they would be needed most.
When the Fay’s settled in Southport, Connecticut after the war, Jeannie, as she was known to her friends, galvanized a small group of similarly committed women working at the Greenfield Congregational Church. They created a full-fledged organization to help not only those abroad but also those within their local area.
In April of 1954, this organization was formally christened “Near & Far Aid Association, Inc.” In a letter Jeannie Fay wrote that year to the members of her new Board, she says, “The problems of fear, frustration, poverty and despair can be somehow stood up to if their victims suddenly realize they have friends who care …Our group found that we had been led to usefulness far beyond any we had contemplated … It is really humbling to discover that so little can accomplish so much.”
The name “Near & Far” comes from a prayer adopted by the organization in its early days. The symbol of Near & Far Aid, a compass rose, was aptly explained by Mrs. Fay as follows: “It is felt that the extent of our help should be bounded only by our ability to meet the particular needs presented to us, but that with references to the points of the compass (sic) to race, creed or color, they should be limitless.”. The compass rose is found to this day on all printed and electronic material produced by Near & Far Aid.
As the 60’s progressed, the organization began to look for more lucrative ways to raise funds in order to meet the flood of applications for assistance. Elizabeth Cullen, a founding member of Near & Far Aid and close friend of the Fay’s, read an article about the success of the Winter Antiques Show in New York City. Elizabeth consulted the show manager, Russell Carrell, who was then the leading antiques show manager in the country. Two years later, in 1965, the Southport-Westport Antiques Show made its debut at the Longshore Country Club in Westport, Connecticut with Russell Carrell at its helm. In that year’s show catalog, Near & Far Aid was defined as an “organization (that) gives personal assistance to individuals to tide them over difficult times…If the need is immediate, Near & Far Aid can cut through red tape to fulfill it immediately… When continuing assistance is required, each case is carefully investigated. Deserving cases are referred to Near & Far Aid by …accredited agencies both here and abroad.”
In 1966, Near & Far Aid opened a distribution center in the basement of a Bridgeport public housing development. Families and individuals referred by welfare workers were invited to shop there for goods and clothing. Additionally, donations of clothing, furniture, toys, housewares and appliances were sorted and sent all over the world. During this year alone, 300 packages were distributed to Europe, Africa and the Far East. “To extend one’s hand in love and charity is the greatest gift we have to give.”, wrote Mrs. Fay forty years ago. These words echo the mission of Near & Far Aid to this day.
Extending its hand to those in the local community, in 1969 Near & Far Aid initiated campership programs, both residential and day, for children from the inner city neighborhoods of Bridgeport. In that same year, Near & Far Aid funded the ABCD Residential Youth Center in Bridgeport for young men who had to leave their homes. This was one of six pilot programs in the United States at the time and underscores Near & Far Aid’s traditional leadership role in supporting much needed and under-funded programs in Fairfield County.
Over the years, positive contributions to progress have been made through change, growth and expansion. The venerable Southport-Westport Antiques Show has evolved into Near & Far Aid’s three preeminent fund raising functions of today: The Spring Gala, the Designer House Tour and the Golf Classic. From yesterday to today, there has been one unalterable fact inherent in each of these events: the enormous base of dedicated volunteers at the core of the events is the single most important factor in their respective success stories. More than 50 years later, the women at the heart of this extraordinary organization continue to work for their community much like their earlier counterparts in the “spirit of giving”. Thus, Near & Far Aid keeps on building upon the strength of its mission to give hope to those facing the fear and hopelessness of poverty.