MISSION STATEMENT

Union Settlement creates opportunity in East Harlem by offering comprehensive programs that help underserved residents improve their skills and build better lives for themselves and their families.

Journey to One-Thirty (130) – Rejuvenate, Refine, Revitalize

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, ACCESSIBILITY & BELONGING

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, ACCESSIBILITY & BELONGING (DEIA&B)

COMMITMENT

Union Settlement is committed to advancing equity and social justice through our programs, services, advocacy, and hiring practices.

As a trusted and vital community resource since 1895, we seek to change the policies, systems, and practices that perpetuate unequal access to the resources and opportunities that safeguard and enhance the economic, social, and physical wellbeing of East Harlem residents.

STATEMENT

Union Settlement strives to be an organization that is culturally competent and equity-focused, while working to create opportunities for mobility and prosperity for the people we serve in East Harlem and beyond.

We seek to represent a diverse staff, board of directors, and the diversity of our community. We have historically employed a diverse staff, and we embrace representation and participation at all levels. We are strongest when we embrace the full spectrum of humanity, regardless of what we look like, where we come from or whom we love.

We are passionate about seeking social justice, creating access to opportunity, and empowering underrepresented and underserved communities. We stand unequivocally against racism and the systems that have perpetuated racial injustice.

We aim for accountability in our workspace and to build our capacity to recognize the dynamic issues of our time with a willingness to continually address and redress them towards the goal of promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging for all at Union Settlement.

SERVING THE HARLEM COMMUNITY SINCE 1895

Founded in 1895, Union Settlement has served as an anchor for East Harlem residents for nearly 130 years. Established by our community, for our community, Union Settlement is an unwavering beacon of hope, a source of strength, and a pathway for greater opportunity, firmly rooted in East Harlem. Today, we are the largest social service organization in East Harlem and one of the largest Settlement Houses in the city. Our team of over three hundred fifty (350) dedicated staff, serve more than 15,000 Harlem residents a year, at over 30 locations through numerous programs such Early Childhood Education (ECE), afterschool and summer activities for youth, support to families seeking childcare resources and access to New York City benefits, Older Adult Services for Seniors, Meals on Wheels programming to address food insecurity, Adult Education programs, comprehensive Mental Health Counseling for children and adults, and support for local businesses through our Economic Development & Government Affairs team. We also partner with our New York City agencies to provide community support and connections through our Family Enrichment Center, East Harlem Community Partnership, and Childcare Connection Initiatives.

OUR HISTORY

With a population greater than that of Albany, New York, East Harlem has long been a portal community to waves of immigrant populations. With each new generation—beginning with the Irish, Eastern European, and Italian populations of a century ago, to the more recent mix of Hispanics and African Americans, and the latest arrivals from Central and South America, West Africa, the Caribbean and China—Union Settlement has been able to transform itself to meet new demands and has proven to be a sustained and sustaining community bedrock.