Union Settlement Association
Encyclopedia
Union Settlement Association is one of the oldest settlement houses
in New York City, providing community-based services and programs that support the immigrant and low-income residents of East Harlem
. Children as young as six months, teens, adults, seniors in their 90s and entire families of all cultures and backgrounds participate in Union Settlement programs.
One of East Harlem’s largest social service agencies, Union Settlement reaches more than 13,000 people annually at 17 locations throughout East Harlem, through a range of programs, including early childhood education, youth development, senior services, job training, the arts, adult education, nutrition, counseling, a farmers' market
, community development and neighborhood cultural events.
Alumni Club. After visiting Toynbee Hall
in London, and inspired by the example of Hull House
in Chicago, the alumni decided to create a settlement house in the area of Manhattan enclosed on the north and south by East 96th and 110th Streets and on the east and west by the East River
and Central Park
. Known as East Harlem, it was a neighborhood filled with new tenements but devoid of any civic services. The ethos of the settlement house movement called for its workers to “settle” in such neighborhoods in order to learn first-hand the problems of the residents. “It seemed to us that, as early settlers, we had a chance to grow up with the community and affect its development,” wrote William Adams Brown, Theology Professor, Union Theological Society (1892–1930) and President, Union Settlement Association (1915–1919).
With millions of immigrants arriving in the Union States in the late 19th century as the two elevated subway lines were completed, East Harlem quickly equaled the Lower East Side
as Manhattan’s predominantly immigrant community. Until the 1920s, it was New York’s true “Little Italy
,” claiming the largest population of Italians outside of Italy. The neighborhood had, of necessity, a progressive, reformist commitment: Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia lived in East Harlem, spoke often at Union Settlement, and personified the political activism of the area.
From the Irish, German, Eastern European and Italian immigrant populations of the early 20th century, to the large numbers of African Americans and immigrants from Puerto Rico, Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean who moved to East Harlem in the mid-20th century, to recent immigrants from West Africa, South Asia and the Middle East, Union Settlement Association has helped each wave of new New Yorkers to lead healthy and productive lives.
Union Settlement’s work has helped tens of thousands—perhaps hundreds of thousands—of children, youth and adults, many of whom have gone on to become leaders in the community and beyond. For example, New York Secretary of State Lorraine Cortes-Vazquez
and City Council Member Robert Jackson are both Union Settlement “alumni.” Hollywood star and producer Burt Lancaster
played sports, acted in theater productions and learned circus arts at Union Settlement as a boy. He credited Union Settlement for “saving him from the streets,” and supported the organization all his life.
1932: The New York Committee of the American Birth Control League
opens a Birth Control Clinic at Union Settlement. The clinic is one of the first in the city and in East Harlem.
1957: Union Settlement Federal Credit Union opens its doors for business. The credit union is a financial cooperative
where members pool their assets and lend money to each other at low interest rates.
1961: A $1 million Astor Foundation grant enables Union Settlement and six other settlement houses to implement the Pre-Teen Delinquency Prevention Project.
1965: Union Settlement becomes the site of one of the country's first Head Start Programs, the federally sponsored preschool initiative launched as one of the Great Society
undertakings.
1974: Settlement Health and Medical Services, part of a federal initiative, provides primary health care to East Harlem residents in a free-standing clinic. The program is separately incorporated in 1976.
1992: Union Settlement is selected to serve as the lead agency of the East Harlem HIV
Care Network, a coalition of over 100 social and health service agencies that address issues of AIDS
. Network members serve people who are HIV positive or are living with HIV/AIDS, and their relatives and partners
1994: Union Settlement is a founding member of the East Harlem Partnership for Change, a grassroots organization composed of 14 agencies and churches focusing on identifying and training local leaders to tackle community issues.
2009: Union Settlement and the Hunter College
School of Social Work form a youth empowerment and research partnership with funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to test new approaches to addressing the serious health risks faced by youth in East Harlem.
Two separately incorporated entities complement Union Settlement’s services:
Union Settlement meets the Standards for Charity Accountability developed by the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance.
Settlement movement
The settlement movement was a reformist social movement, beginning in the 1880s and peaking around the 1920s in England and the US, with a goal of getting the rich and poor in society to live more closely together in an interdependent community...
in New York City, providing community-based services and programs that support the immigrant and low-income residents of East Harlem
Spanish Harlem
East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem and El Barrio, is a section of Harlem in the northeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. East Harlem is one of the largest predominantly Latino communities in New York City. It includes the area formerly known as Italian Harlem, in which...
. Children as young as six months, teens, adults, seniors in their 90s and entire families of all cultures and backgrounds participate in Union Settlement programs.
One of East Harlem’s largest social service agencies, Union Settlement reaches more than 13,000 people annually at 17 locations throughout East Harlem, through a range of programs, including early childhood education, youth development, senior services, job training, the arts, adult education, nutrition, counseling, a farmers' market
Farmers' market
A farmers' market consists of individual vendors—mostly farmers—who set up booths, tables or stands, outdoors or indoors, to sell produce, meat products, fruits and sometimes prepared foods and beverages...
, community development and neighborhood cultural events.
History
Union Settlement was founded in 1895 by members of the Union Theological SeminaryUnion Theological Seminary in the City of New York
Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York is a preeminent independent graduate school of theology, located in Manhattan between Claremont Avenue and Broadway, 120th to 122nd Streets. The seminary was founded in 1836 under the Presbyterian Church, and is affiliated with nearby Columbia...
Alumni Club. After visiting Toynbee Hall
Toynbee Hall
Toynbee Hall is a building in Tower Hamlets, East London which is the home of a charity working to bridge the gap between people of all social and financial backgrounds, with a focus on eradicating poverty and promoting social inclusion....
in London, and inspired by the example of Hull House
Hull House
Hull House is a settlement house in the United States that was co-founded in 1889 by Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr. Located in the Near West Side of , Hull House opened its doors to the recently arrived European immigrants. By 1911, Hull House had grown to 13 buildings. In 1912 the Hull...
in Chicago, the alumni decided to create a settlement house in the area of Manhattan enclosed on the north and south by East 96th and 110th Streets and on the east and west by the East River
East River
The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland...
and Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
. Known as East Harlem, it was a neighborhood filled with new tenements but devoid of any civic services. The ethos of the settlement house movement called for its workers to “settle” in such neighborhoods in order to learn first-hand the problems of the residents. “It seemed to us that, as early settlers, we had a chance to grow up with the community and affect its development,” wrote William Adams Brown, Theology Professor, Union Theological Society (1892–1930) and President, Union Settlement Association (1915–1919).
With millions of immigrants arriving in the Union States in the late 19th century as the two elevated subway lines were completed, East Harlem quickly equaled the Lower East Side
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
as Manhattan’s predominantly immigrant community. Until the 1920s, it was New York’s true “Little Italy
Little Italy
Little Italy is a general name for an ethnic enclave populated primarily by Italians or people of Italian ancestry, usually in an urban neighborhood.-Canada:*Little Italy, Edmonton, in Alberta*Little Italy, Montreal, in Quebec...
,” claiming the largest population of Italians outside of Italy. The neighborhood had, of necessity, a progressive, reformist commitment: Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia lived in East Harlem, spoke often at Union Settlement, and personified the political activism of the area.
From the Irish, German, Eastern European and Italian immigrant populations of the early 20th century, to the large numbers of African Americans and immigrants from Puerto Rico, Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean who moved to East Harlem in the mid-20th century, to recent immigrants from West Africa, South Asia and the Middle East, Union Settlement Association has helped each wave of new New Yorkers to lead healthy and productive lives.
Union Settlement’s work has helped tens of thousands—perhaps hundreds of thousands—of children, youth and adults, many of whom have gone on to become leaders in the community and beyond. For example, New York Secretary of State Lorraine Cortes-Vazquez
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
Lorraine A. Cortés-Vázquez was the 65th Secretary of State of New York, serving in the Cabinet of Governor David Paterson. She originally served in the Cabinet of former Governor Eliot Spitzer and remained in office following Paterson's taking over the governorship on March 17, 2008...
and City Council Member Robert Jackson are both Union Settlement “alumni.” Hollywood star and producer Burt Lancaster
Burt Lancaster
Burton Stephen "Burt" Lancaster was an American film actor noted for his athletic physique and distinctive smile...
played sports, acted in theater productions and learned circus arts at Union Settlement as a boy. He credited Union Settlement for “saving him from the streets,” and supported the organization all his life.
Key Dates
1917: Union Settlement establishes campgrounds in Palisades Interstate Park. Surrounded by lakes and woods, the camps provided important growth experiences to tens of thousands of youngsters from 1917 to the 1960s1932: The New York Committee of the American Birth Control League
American Birth Control League
The American Birth Control League was founded by Margaret Sanger in 1921 at the First American Birth Control Conference in New York City. The League was incorporated under the laws of New York State on April 5, 1922. Its headquarters were located at 104 Fifth Avenue, New York City from 1921–30 and...
opens a Birth Control Clinic at Union Settlement. The clinic is one of the first in the city and in East Harlem.
1957: Union Settlement Federal Credit Union opens its doors for business. The credit union is a financial cooperative
Credit union
A credit union is a cooperative financial institution that is owned and controlled by its members and operated for the purpose of promoting thrift, providing credit at competitive rates, and providing other financial services to its members...
where members pool their assets and lend money to each other at low interest rates.
1961: A $1 million Astor Foundation grant enables Union Settlement and six other settlement houses to implement the Pre-Teen Delinquency Prevention Project.
1965: Union Settlement becomes the site of one of the country's first Head Start Programs, the federally sponsored preschool initiative launched as one of the Great Society
Great Society
The Great Society was a set of domestic programs in the United States promoted by President Lyndon B. Johnson and fellow Democrats in Congress in the 1960s. Two main goals of the Great Society social reforms were the elimination of poverty and racial injustice...
undertakings.
1974: Settlement Health and Medical Services, part of a federal initiative, provides primary health care to East Harlem residents in a free-standing clinic. The program is separately incorporated in 1976.
1992: Union Settlement is selected to serve as the lead agency of the East Harlem HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
Care Network, a coalition of over 100 social and health service agencies that address issues of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. Network members serve people who are HIV positive or are living with HIV/AIDS, and their relatives and partners
1994: Union Settlement is a founding member of the East Harlem Partnership for Change, a grassroots organization composed of 14 agencies and churches focusing on identifying and training local leaders to tackle community issues.
2009: Union Settlement and the Hunter College
Hunter College
Hunter College, established in 1870, is a public university and one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Hunter grants undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees in more than one hundred fields of study, and is recognized...
School of Social Work form a youth empowerment and research partnership with funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to test new approaches to addressing the serious health risks faced by youth in East Harlem.
Programs and Affiliates
- Early Childhood Services: six childcare/Head Start centers and Family Childcare Network, pediatric asthma initiative, serving one-sixth of all childcare services in East Harlem.
- Youth Services: after-school and summer programs, computer classes, tutoring, sexual literacy, college readiness program, dance, theater, healthy living, counseling, workforce development (includes Rising Stars Program and Bridges)
- Adult Education: Basic Education in Spanish and English, English for Speakers of Other Languages, Civics, GED preparation, citizenship and computer classes, Writing Through Reading Program, home health aide training program
- Senior Services: five senior centers, Meals on Wheels, senior volunteer program, transportation program, senior fitness program
- Mental Health: individual, group and family counseling and psychotherapy, crisis intervention, Children’s Blended Case Management, geriatric mental health services
- AIDS/HIV Services: Manhattan HIV Care Network, HIV Counseling Program, training and workshops, community forums, Annual East Harlem AIDS Walk & Health Fair, participation in the National Latino AIDS Awareness Day
Two separately incorporated entities complement Union Settlement’s services:
- Since 1957, the Union Settlement Federal Credit Union, a not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative, has leveraged the community's economic resources for local business expansion and improvements. A national model for low-income community development, the Credit Union provides more than 4,100 members with access to low-cost checking and savings accounts, ATM services, and financial advice and has provided over $35 million in personal, home, business and educational loans.
- Union Settlement Home Care provides at-home services to enable seniors to stay in their homes as they age. The agency's home attendants care for more than 300 homebound elderly or disabled individuals from two to 24 hours a day, providing basic health care and companionship and helping with daily activities, such as cooking, cleaning and shopping.
Union Settlement meets the Standards for Charity Accountability developed by the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance.
Community Events
- Annual Day of the Dead Festival – Each year, Union Settlement hosts a popular Dia de Los Muertos celebration featuring artists, and musicians. Local children and families help create the altar, prepare traditional foods and participate in the festivities.
- Seasonal Farmers' Markets – Every Thursday from June through October on 104th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues
- Annual Ethnic Festival – A street fair and cultural festival on a Spring Saturday on 104th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues