Educational Alliance began as a settlement house more than a century ago. Since then, we’ve expanded beyond that original building to multiple locations across Lower Manhattan.
Yet what always strikes me is that the heart of the settlement house – its spirit and purpose – continues to live and breathe across our programs. Again and again, the model endures.
At its core, a settlement house is about more than the individual services. It is about wraparound support – all the services together – delivered right in the neighborhood, and about building community as a powerful source of resilience and hope.
Our community schools program brings that philosophy to life in a profound way. It honors our history while reimagining it for today, and the impact has been extraordinary.
In each school, we have created a hub of support – on-site services for students and their families. We also connect them to programs at the Askwith Kenner Family Resource Center in the Manny Cantor Center, our original settlement house and the place where this mission first took root.
Because of this integrated approach, we can respond to the full range of needs families face – providing clothing, food assistance, parenting workshops, English classes, social work support, dental care, and so much more.
But we also are building relationships. We are weaving connections – between families, between neighbors, between families and our staff – to strengthen a community in which people support one another.
Best,
Rich Baum
President & CEO, Educational Alliance