United China Relief (U.S.)

United China Relief was founded in 1941 in New York City for the purpose of raising funds to aid the Chinese people.

In order to raise funds more efficiently, several organizations joined together as United China Relief. Among the founding organizations were the American Bureau for Medical Aid to China, the Associated Boards for Christian Colleges in China, the China Emergency Relief Committee, the Church Committee for China Relief, and the China Aid Council. The founding committees retained their own individual identities and continued their relief missions to China. In 1947 the name of United China Relief was changed to United Service to China.

China, with its recurring famines, has long been the object of charitable and humanitarian aid. The Sino-Japanese War which broke out in 1937 added to the flood of refugees, and sick, wounded, and destitute persons. Throughout the war years many committees were formed in America for the purpose of raising funds to aid the Chinese people. In order to make the raising of funds more efficient by reducing duplication of effort, several committees joined together in 1941 to found United China Relief which was chartered in the State of New York, with its headquarters in New York City. Among the founding organizations were the American Bureau for Medical Aid to China, the Associated Boards for Christian Colleges in China, the China Emergency Relief Committee, the Church Committee for China Relief, and the China Aid Council. The records of the latter organization are contained in this collection.

The main function of United China Relief was to provide funds for the relief and rehabilitation of the Chinese people. Ancillary goals were to serve as a medium for informing Americans on events and conditions in China, and to help to reassure the Chinese people of continued American concern and friendship. In practical terms the mission of United China Relief was to raise money for distribution to the various committees which had joined together in founding it. The founding committees retained their own individual identities and continued their own relief missions in China.

In 1947 the name of the organization was changed to United Service to China. Mildred Price served as its executive secretary.