Co-Sponsored by Greenwich House

Settlement houses have long been more than providers of social services – they were, and still are, incubators of progressive ideas, civic action, and policy change. Inspired by the release of Betty Boyd Caroli’s new book, A Slumless America: Mary K. Simkhovitch and the Dream of Affordable Housing, this conversation explores how the settlement house movement shaped public housing reform, strengthened local communities, and helped lay the groundwork for today’s social safety net. 

About the Panel:

• Opening Remarks: Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Manhattan Borough President
• Moderator: Darren Bloch, Executive Director and CEO of Greenwich House
• Panelists:
  • Betty Boyd Caroli, Historian and Author 
  • Roderick Jones, President of Goddard Riverside
  • Susan Stamler, Executive Director of United Neighborhood Houses
  • Rosemonde Pierre-Louis, Executive Director of the McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research at NYU

Grounded in Greenwich House’s history as a leader in community-based research and advocacy, the discussion connects early settlement house innovations to today’s challenges – highlighting how these institutions continue to serve as spaces for community-led change, justice, and civic participation. 

The discussion highlights how settlement houses continue to serve as spaces where research informs action, communities organize for change, and local experience shapes policy.

Refreshments and light fare will be provided. 

Registration is required – free to attend. *Must take two flights of stairs to reach the event space.