Henry Street Settlement

Founded in 1893 by progressive reformer Lillian Wald, Henry Street Settlement provides social services, arts and health care programs to New Yorkers from 18 sites on Manhattan's Lower East Side.

Today, as one of DHS's contracted providers, Henry Street operates two transitional shelters: one facility for families and one for single adult women. A third shelter, the Urban Family Center, is presently closed for repairs. Each shelter offers a seamlessly integrated and comprehensive onsite social services program, which aims to help residents restore and rebuild their lives while managing their housing crises. Onsite services include case management and access to mental health care, as well as housing and employment assistance.

When it opened in 1972, Henry Street's Urban Family Shelter – which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022—was the first family shelter in the nation to house homeless families in individual apartments and provide 24-hour onsite social services to help families address issues that arise and transition into permanent housing. It has since served as model for shelters throughout the country.

The Helen's House transitional residence serves single mothers with children age eight and under, and the Third Street Women's Residence provides housing to single women with mental health issues.

In addition to receiving services onsite, shelter residents benefit from Henry Street's extensive programming, including early childhood education, afterschool, and summer camps; employment services for adults and youth, including computer training and GED classes; and arts performances and classes. 

Learn more about Henry Street Settlement.

Henry Street Settlement can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, and Blue Sky.

Watch a video about the agency.