News and Resources

 The Institute for Children, Poverty, and Homelessness featured a story on the history of settlement houses in their Fall 2011 issue of Uncensored: American Family Experiences with Poverty and Homelessness. 

From the article: "Nancy Wackstein, the head of United Neighborhood Houses, a coalition of New York City settlement houses, invokes this history to characterize the mission of contemporary settlements. 'Being a settlement house means you’re not just a service-delivery organization,' she asserts, 'you’re also a social-change organization.'"

New York City plans to cut financing for an after-school program that opened under Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, a move that advocates say could cut the number of seats for children nearly in half next year.

Nancy Wackstein, executive director of United Neighborhood Houses — an association of New York settlement houses and community centers — estimated that because of budget cuts, 23,000 children of elementary and middle school age would lose access to the program next year.

“When the school dismissal bell rings and parents are still at work, many of their elementary and middle school children will have nowhere to go,” Ms. Wackstein said in a statement.

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A Nov. 28 Addendum proposed by the Bloomberg administration drops funding to just under $70 million for the 2013 year, a cut of $20 million from this fiscal year and $47 million cut from the start of the Out-of-School Time (OST) program two years ago, according to a news brief from The Center for New York City Affairs.

Approximately 46,000 slots for youth in after-school programs, or “Out of School Time” (OST), were lost over the past four years due to $8.5 million in budget cuts, according to Kevin Douglas, policy analyst for United Neighborhood Houses.

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The Bloomberg administration is poised to make sharp cuts to the primary source of government funding for hundreds of free after-school programs that currently serve about 53,000 children across the city.

Just two years ago, the city's "Out-of-School Time" or OST program received more than $117 million in city funds and served more than 87,000 kids. This fiscal year, the program was reduced to $90 million in city dollars. And now, a recent contract proposal from the administration indicates that, in 2013, the program will be cut to just under $70 million. Advocates say the reduction will nearly halve the number of program slots available to city kids.

Norah Yahya, a policy analyst for United Neighborhood Houses of New York, maintained that the current situation is different from the usual back-and-forth that organizations engage in with the mayor at budget time. "It's dire," she said. "Cuts of this magnitude to services are not usual."

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UNH Executive Director Nancy Wackstein offered her comments on 2011 as it comes to a close for New York Nonprofit Press:

"The year 2011 will go down in the history of our sector as the year in which most of us woke up to the permanent nature of the new reality:  government shifts away from support for people in need and the human services designed to help them.  Many of us, including me, wanted to believe that once the recession ended and once the economy began to right itself we would see a return to the time when nonprofit services and help for the have-nots were again among our top priorities.   Sadly, this is not what we saw.  Despite some victories in the last budget season on the City and State levels – like City child care restorations that saved thousands of slots for low-income families and State withdrawal of a Title XX proposal that would have shuttered 100 senior centers in the City – the overall approach of both levels of government seems to have been to look at cuts to human services to solve deficit problems rather than looking to revenue solutions.  I fear that this remains the approach as we enter 2012 and governments at all levels continue to grapple with rising deficits.  This nation’s historical commitment to preserving a social safety net – particularly potent and effective in New York City and State over decades – seems to be dramatically shifting before our eyes."

Read the full article and what other NYC leaders had to say here>>

United Neighborhood Houses (UNH) is proud to announce that UNH’s Executive Director Nancy Wackstein received a Top Leader in the Profession award from the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), New York City Chapter for her exemplary work in the human services sector. Awardees of this top honor were selected for their reputation in the field as accomplished and experienced leaders and for their innovative role in addressing social justice issues.


“Nancy is a unanimous choice for this distinction,” said Bob Schachter, Executive Director of NASW’s New York City Chapter. “From her crucial role in homeless services for the City, to running the historical Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, to her current position heading United Neighborhood Houses and representing settlement houses throughout the City, Nancy is an example of outstanding leadership in the field. Being a social worker in her position,” said Schachter, “puts her in a preeminent position in the field.”

 In addition to being appointed by Mayor Bloomberg to various human services task forces, Nancy also serves on the Board of Directors of several non-profit organizations, including United Neighborhood Centers of America and United Way of NYC, and is the immediate past Board Chair of the Human Services Council of New York.  

“I am gratified to have been selected for this honor,” said Wackstein of her award. “My social work education taught me about values as well as ideas, specifically the importance of viewing those in need of assistance with respect and honoring their dignity.  I have attempted to keep these principles in view throughout my professional career.”

NASW NYC Chapter’s Fifth Annual Leadership Awards recognizes social workers of all career levels who demonstrate leadership and commitment to the improvement of social and human conditions. Also honored from the UNH network: Geniria Armstrong from UNH member agency Henry Street Settlement was awarded a Mid-Career Leadership Award; Yesenia Zuniga from UNH member agency Hartley House was honored as an Emerging Leader.

The award ceremony took place on December 1, 2011. View a full list of NASW honorees here. Pictured above: Susan Nayowith, President of NASW NYC Chapter; Nancy Wackstein; and Bob Schacter, Executive Director of NASW NYC Chapter.