Henry Street Settlement

Overview

Lillian Wald founded the settlement on Rivington St in 1893. This is the second site. Both buildings are landmarked.

Wald was a trained nurse and concerned for the well-being of Easter European immigrants. She helped supply food and jobs.

The Henry Street Settlement was one of the first settlement homes in the United States. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989.

It is believed Lillian Wald began her work assisting both immigrants and the poor after a small child, seeing her in a nurses uniform, asked Lillian to aid his sick mother. Lillian found the women so feeble to stand, having just delivered a baby. From that day forward, Lillian Wald dedicated her career to improving the lives of the sick and impoverished as well as bringing increased awareness to the socio-economic conditions of those living in the Lower East Side.

Today, the Henry Street settlement is still active in its effort to improve the lives of individuals living in New York’s Lower East Side. It’s missions is:

Henry Street Settlement opens doors of opportunity to enrich lives and enhance human progress for Lower East Side residents and other New Yorkers through social services, arts, and health care programs.

For more information on the Henry Street Settlement, please visit their website.

www.henrystreet.org

Eastern European Jewish Heritage-LES
updated 03/2012 by NYU Tourism Maps