University Settlement Society of New York

Directions Website

University Settlement Society of New York America's first settlement house. Our programs impact the lives of over 40,000 New Yorkers each year at 30+ locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

www.universitysettlement.org More than 130 years ago, University Settlement launched an innovative movement that changed New York City and the country. With University Settlement leading, settlement houses established the idea that immigrants and low-income families deserve basic services like quality education, decent housing, access to open space for exercise and health, and support for the aging. They proved that with a little help, these families could get a foothold on the American dream. Providing social services that give families a helping hand has become part of our national fabric. University Settlement has continued to set the standard and invent best practices for others to follow in America. Today, University Settlement has remained true to its first principle: to strengthen a community, you must strengthen families. And to strengthen a family, you must provide a range of services and support. Not just childcare. Not just after-school programs. Not just education for adults or meals for seniors. Providing integrated services that strengthen a whole family makes all the difference.

Our CEO Melissa Aase published an opinion in the New York Daily News this week to introduce We Got US, our new initiativ...
10/15/2026

Our CEO Melissa Aase published an opinion in the New York Daily News this week to introduce We Got US, our new initiative to help our neighbors stay connected to the federal benefits their households rely on.

As slashing federal cuts threaten our already precarious social safety net, access to vital programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid hangs in the balance. In New York State, where 3.5 million people receive federal nutrition benefits, we estimate that 29% of recipients are at risk of going hungry. More than 1 million could lose their health coverage. Cruelly, these groups substantially overlap.

It may be self-inflicted, but it’s a catastrophe nevertheless. We’ve gotten a lot of experience helping our communities navigate disasters in the last few decades, and we’ve learned that effective responses require planning, coordination, and efficiency – and that established, trusted relationships are the best pathways for getting accurate information to communities quickly, so it can be acted upon. That’s why we’re launching We Got US, which will leverage our relationships with our neighbors to keep as many as possible connected to nutrition and healthcare, in coalition with the Association of Lower East Side Settlements, comprised of our friends at the Chinese-American Planning Council, Educational Alliance, Grand St. Settlement, Hamilton-Madison House, and Henry Street Settlement.

Collectively we reach 250,000 New Yorkers every year, of whom we estimate that 87,500 neighbors we work with directly are at high risk of losing benefits, not to mention all the people in our communities who aren’t currently connected with our programs.

We’re calling this effort We Got US because no one is coming to save our communities, and we must have each other’s backs. Please check out our New York Daily News piece and press release about this work at https://www.universitysettlement.org/university-settlement-launches-new-direct-service-campaign-we-got-us-to-respond-to-the-federal-benefits-eligibility-crisis/

10/13/2026

We're thrilled that our CEO Melissa Aase was featured on Spectrum News NY1 last weekend!

Melissa appeared on "Weekends on 1 " with anchor Rocco Vertuccio to discuss University Settlement's 140 years of impact, the ways our movement has always fought for the immediate needs of communities while also advocating for an expansive vision of what should be public, and how our programs make a difference in the lives of our New York City neighbors every day.

We're so grateful for this coverage - check out the video on our YouTube here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJFpxuSp-6A&t=6s

NYC high school students: interested in receiving an $800 stipend and being prepared for college? Then take a leap and j...
10/13/2026

NYC high school students: interested in receiving an $800 stipend and being prepared for college? Then take a leap and join HEAP (Help, Excel and Progress)!

Led by our College Passport program, HEAP is an incentive- based college success program that provides FREE individualized services to high school seniors until their sophomore year of college. Students will receive guidance from the very beginning of their college process with assistance in completing college applications, financial aid applications, and the matriculation process. Students will also be offered math and English classes to make sure they are academically prepared for their college classes.

Sign up today at the link in our bio – registration closes on Friday, October 16th!

University Settlement is closed today in recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. We’ll reopen tomorrow.Indigenous People...
10/12/2026

University Settlement is closed today in recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. We’ll reopen tomorrow.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day is an opportunity to honor Indigenous peoples, cultures, and resilience, and to reflect on the lasting impact of colonization. Here in NYC, we live and work on Lenapehoking, the homeland of the Lenape people, whose presence and contributions remain an important part of our city today.

The holiday also asks us to look more closely at Columbus Day. While Columbus Day has become especially meaningful to Italian-American communities and a way to mark the discrimination their ancestors faced upon arrival in the United States, the story of Columbus himself is inseparable from the displacement of and violence against Indigenous people.

Reflecting on this history reminds us that our country was both built by immigrants and built on Indigenous land. Today is a chance to hold those histories together and celebrate the peoples, cultures, and communities that remain a vital part of New York today.

Providing high-quality early childhood education isn’t cheap – and right now, City funding still doesn’t cover the true ...
10/09/2026

Providing high-quality early childhood education isn’t cheap – and right now, City funding still doesn’t cover the true cost.

Our friends at United Neighborhood Houses recently published a new report on what it actually costs community-based organizations like University Settlement to run strong early childhood programs. “Building a Strong Foundation” finds a BIG gap - about $12,600 per child - between what City contracts currently pay to providers and the true cost of care.

This gap shows up in the things that matter every day: competitive pay for teachers, enough staff in classrooms, meals, family support, and the resources programs need to stay strong as the City expands 2-K and 3-K. UNH found that 95% of a program’s costs stay essentially the same even when enrollment drops, meaning providers can lose funding without seeing their expenses fall accordingly.

Nora Moran, UNH’s director of policy and advocacy, said, " If we don't address some of these underlying issues, 2-K expansion is going be a lot harder, because I don't know how many more providers are going to want to open up new classrooms, how many new people are going to want to come into this business if they can see very clearly, it's not solid wages."

We hope the City will take steps to eliminate this gap and give Early Childhood programs the resources they need to not just survive but thrive. You can read the full report at https://www.unhny.org/reports

What better way to mark our 140th birthday than a community block party?We were incredibly grateful to celebrate in Broo...
10/08/2026

What better way to mark our 140th birthday than a community block party?

We were incredibly grateful to celebrate in Brooklyn on Saturday with more than 300 of our neighbors! It was beautiful to see so many families, staff, and friends filling the block for music and performances, games and activities, great food, and quality time spent together. You could feel the joy and connection all day, and it was a powerful reminder of what we can accomplish when we gather as one University Settlement community.

A huge thank you to every member of our team who made the day possible by welcoming our guests with joy and enthusiasm! Saturday was a celebration of the 140 years we’ve committed to building stronger communities in partnership with our neighbors, but it was also a celebration of US – our people, our community, and the spirit we bring to this work every day.

We received three (!) proclamations including a mayoral proclamation declaring October 3rd "University Settlement Day" in NYC. State Senator Jabari Brisport, State Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon, and Brooklyn Deputy Borough President Kim Council also joined us to share remarks on our special day.

Congratulations and thank you to everyone who helped make the Brooklyn Block Party such a memorable celebration - especially our staff committee who really poured their heart and soul into all the planning! It was especially beautiful to do this together after our rainout in Manhattan last weekend. The energy you brought on Saturday will help carry us forward for the next 140 years.

It was perfect weather for a 5K, and the LES Revel Run 5K gave us plenty to celebrate! 🏁🏃‍♀️On Sunday, we joined neighbo...
10/07/2026

It was perfect weather for a 5K, and the LES Revel Run 5K gave us plenty to celebrate! 🏁🏃‍♀️

On Sunday, we joined neighbors for the LES Revel Run 5K, an annual race that brings the community together to remember and celebrate Pavel Lempert, a beloved Lower East Sider who passed away in 2017.

Together, this year’s Revel Run raised $21,246 for the Pavel Lempert Fellowship, supporting paid internships for Lower East Side high school students this school year.

“Having the Revel Run start and finish at PS 110 feels especially meaningful to me because it’s where both of my children went to elementary school,” said Diane Lempert, Pavel’s wife. “Pavel did most of the drop-offs and pick-ups and was very involved in the school’s fundraising events, where he met so many wonderful families who became lifelong friends. Many of those people remain some of my closest friends today, so bringing the Revel Run back to PS 110 feels like a beautiful way to keep Pavel’s spirit, and the connections he created, alive.”

Thank you to every runner, donor, and volunteer near and far who made this day possible. We’re grateful to see so many people showing up for Pavel’s memory and running hard for the next generation of Lower East Siders.

The race may have ended, but there’s still time to support the Fellowship through a donation at the link in our bio!

📸

The new school year is underway, and our programs for infants, kids, and teens are already off to a lively start!Across ...
10/05/2026

The new school year is underway, and our programs for infants, kids, and teens are already off to a lively start!

Across lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, our Early Childhood and Youth programs have jumped right into the new school year. At Children’s Corner in East New York, our very youngest learners – ages 5-11 months – are experiencing "school” for the first time. Over the last few weeks, they've been exploring their new environment, getting to know their teachers, and playing with their new friends.

After-school programs at our Cornerstone community centers are also in full swing. At Cornerstone @ Campos Plaza, our partners at The Good Neighbor Collective organized a back-to-school drive with new backpacks and school supplies for students. At Cornerstone @ Atlantic Terminal, one fan-favorite enrichment activity is our dance workshop, run by our partners at Mark Morris Dance Group, which builds confidence, coordination, discipline, and teamwork. And at Cornerstone @ Ingersoll, teens joined Group Leader Ms. Kaniyah on a scavenger hunt for clues that eventually revealed what they would be making: Triple Treat Brownies, which include three layers: brownies, chocolate chip cookie dough, and Oreo cookies. This was one part of Ms. Kaniyah and Ms. Morgan’s cooking workshop, where students learn basic cooking skills and enjoy a fun hands-on experience together. The kids also had the opportunity to make pizza from scratch, and the results look delicious!

We’re already off to a great start, and we can’t wait to see what the rest of the school year will bring.

As we celebrate our 140th Birthday in style, we are honored that Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani has officially declared toda...
10/03/2026

As we celebrate our 140th Birthday in style, we are honored that Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani has officially declared today – Saturday, October 3rd – University Settlement Day in NYC!

The Mayor's proclamation goes on to say: " With roots dating back to 1886, University Settlement Society of New York has long been part of this important sector, delivering connection and community across more than 30 sites in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn… Guided by the pillars of comprehensive care and positive transformation, University Settlement provides a variety of initiatives that focus on the arts, behavioral health, housing assistance, and adolescent and older adult empowerment.”

And the accolades don't stop there – Congressman Dan Goldman issued a proclamation commending us for our 140 years of impact in NYC, writing “University Settlement gathers its neighbors around a shared purpose: to build stronger, more resilient, more powerful families, and better-connected and better cared-for communities, who in turn build a better New York City.”

As we celebrate in Brooklyn today, these special recognitions make the occasion even more meaningful. Thanks to Mayor Mamdani and Congressman Goldman for helping mark this milestone. Happy University Settlement Day!

We were so sad to cancel our Manhattan Block party last weekend – but the rain has now washed away our sorrows and we ar...
10/01/2026

We were so sad to cancel our Manhattan Block party last weekend – but the rain has now washed away our sorrows and we are ready to double our joys in Brooklyn this Saturday!

Come party with US! We need your joy, your dance moves, and your incredible presence to celebrate OUR moment in history. 140 years is a huge milestone and we only made it this this far by sticking together. Please join us this Saturday at PS133 (our first Brooklyn site!) from 11 AM to 5 PM.

Get your free tickets at the link in our bio!

Address

184 Eldridge Street
New York, NY
10002

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when University Settlement Society of New York posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Sponsored

Share

Category