Project Concern, Inc. Records, 1969/1982

Access and use

Location of collection:
James Madison University
Second Floor Room 203, MSC 1704
Carrier Library
James Madison University
880 Madison Drive
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Tiffany Cole
Phone: (540) 568-3444
Phone: (540) 568-3612
Fax: (540) 568-3405
Restrictions:

Collection open to research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collections Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu)

Preferred citation:

[identification of item], [box #, folder #], Project Concern, Inc. Records, 1969-1982, SC 0155, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va.

Summary

Extent:
3.32 cubic feet 9 boxes
Creator:
Project Concern, Inc. (U.S.)
Abstract:
The Project Concern, Inc. Records, 1969-1982, consist of documents pertaining to the organization's activities within Rockingham County. The documents include the organization's records, their relationships with other organizations and their programs and projects, including their annual summer camp.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[identification of item], [box #, folder #], Project Concern, Inc. Records, 1969-1982, SC 0155, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va.

Background

Scope and content:

The Project Concern, Inc. Records, 1969-1982, are comprised of nine boxes, approximately 3.32 cubic feet of material. The collection represents the actions and activities of a local social work organization within the communities of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. The collection is topically arranged in eight series: Administrative Information, Financial Documents, Members, Other Agencies, Programs and Projects, Summer Camp, Miscellany, and Media.

Series 1, Administrative Information, consists of twenty folders of material related to the administrative operation of Project Concern. Of particular interest are the History, Bylaws and Articles of Incorporations folder and five folders of Secretary's Minutes and Records. Also included in this series are client profiles, which identify needs of particular individuals and families and Project Concern's actions on their behalf, Project Concern newsletters, and news clippings and press releases highlighting Project Concern events and accomplishments.

Series 2, Financial Documents, primarily consists of eighteen folders, the majority of which are receipt books from 1970-1981, with some gaps. This series also includes financial reports, donor correspondence, and a representative sample of receipts from local businesses, 1972-1981.

Series 3, Members, consists of three folders of applications for membership from individuals, organizations and volunteers. Membership involved a small financial donation and/or volunteer service.

Series 4, Other Agencies, consists of seven folders, each of which represents a local, state or national organization with which Project Concern consulted to sustain their non-profit status. In addition, Project Concern worked with Madison College (James Madison University) and Eastern Mennonite College (Eastern Mennonite University) faculty and students to facilitate programs such as Saturday Adoption, which is highlighted in the following series.

Series 5, Programs and Projects, consists of ten folders containing documentation about the different programs and projects Project Concern facilitated, organized or participated in. Some of the programs figuring most prominently are the Annual Christmas Party, the Clothing and Furniture Room, and Saturday Adoption. These programs brought members of the community together to help others in the community in need.

Series 6, Summer Camp, comprises the bulk of the collection. Consisting of forty folders of materials, this series contains documents and supporting materials relating to the USDA Summer Feeding Program, as well as documentation regarding counselor and participant applications, staff training resources, and various reports and evaluations. The series is topically arranged, then chronologically where applicable.

Series 7, Miscellany, consists of drug abuse awareness publications, including three issues of the Virginia Drug Abuse Digest, published from 1973-1976, as well as various informational circa 1970 pamphlets regarding the use and effects of different recreational drugs. Other content includes drug treatment resources, prepared by the Commonwealth of Virginia's Division of Drug Abuse Control in 1975, with brief overviews of facilities throughout Virginia that provided various levels of drug treatment.

Series 8, Media, consists of 353 color slides, and 383 photographs (most in color). Most are undated, although one folder of negatives and contact sheets for 1974 was identified. A cassette created to accompany slide presentations, a cassette titled "Lyndale S.S. class 5th and 6th grade, May 1975," and a reel-to-reel recording containing a public service announcement are housed separately.

Biographical / historical:

While visiting the homes of truant children to investigate their absence in school, John Honeycutt, a visiting teacher for the Harrisonburg schools, discovered much more deeply rooted reasons for their non-attendance. It was not simply that mothers were not waking their children on time, but rather Honeycutt found families in which children did not have proper shoes, clothing, or coats to leave the house. Honeycutt initially brought this information to his church's Sunday school. His activism resulted in the organization of Project Concern, Inc., which was formally incorporated in January 1969. Its purpose was to assist with projects for the needy of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. Project Concern worked in tandem with other local groups to satisfy needs in the community, including Social Services, the Salvation Army, Eastern Mennonite College, James Madison University, and local churches. Reflective of a national movement to combat poverty, specifically among children, Project Concern, Inc., provided basic needs for families and enriching experiences for children. By the early 1980s, Project Concern's funding had vastly diminished, likely due to a national economic crisis, whereby faithful donors no longer had the means to contribute financially. In 1982 the Board of Directors of Project Concern made the decision to close their doors.

Acquisition information:
Donated by Greg Versen, retired James Madison University sociology professor, in June 2008.
Custodial history:

Prior to transfer to JMU Special Collections, the collection was in the custody of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society.

Processing information:

Bank statements, bills, insurance statements, and most receipts were discarded. A representative sample of receipts was maintained to document local businesses. In order to streamline the process of applying collection numbers, Special Collections staff completed a large-scale renumbering campaign in the spring of 2017. This collection was previously cataloged as SC 4011.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into eight series:

  1. Administrative Information
  2. Financial Documents
  3. Members
  4. Other Agencies
  5. Programs and Projects
  6. Summer Camps
  7. Miscellany
  8. Media
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard