Easthampton (Mass.) Community Chest

In 1943, Easthampton citizens incorporated the Easthampton Community War Fund to sponsor and conduct all fundraising for, and to distribute funds to, the relief and social agencies in the town. Nine years later in 1952, the organization was renamed the Easthampton Community Chest.

Through the 1950’s and early 1960’s, however, the Chest failed to reach its campaign goals. Board minutes reflect the Chest’s difficulties in finding volunteers to help with the campaigns, in educating the public and in developing interest in the Chest. Proposed solutions included dropping the Chest Drive, hiring a professional director, and holding a joint drive with the surrounding towns. The Easthampton Community Chest held its last drive in 1968. In 1969, the Easthampton Community Chest joined the Northampton Community Chest as the Hampshire United Fund.

The collection is approximately .75 feet and consists of two series, including Administration, 1943-1968 and Scrapbooks.

Series I, Administration, contains the Easthampton Community Chest records maintained by the secretary in chronological order. Minutes (1943-1968), campaign reports, Presidents’ and Treasurers’ reports, and correspondence are found in a single sequence.

Series II, Scrapbooks, contains three Easthampton Community War Fund scrapbooks. The scrapbooks document campaign activity and included newspaper clippings and other printed material (1943-1945).

This collection is organized into two series:

• Series 1. Administration (1943-1968)
• Series 2. Scrapbooks (1943-1945)