Author Archives: Sean Roker

April 2, 2024 – Mayor Adams Announces New York City’s First-Ever Nonprofit Advisory Council

Today, Mayor Adams announced New York City’s first Nonprofit Advisory Council. The Nonprofit Advisory Council features leaders and experts from the non-profit leaders, and we are honored that Union Settlement’s President and CEO Dr. Darlene Williams will serve as co-chair.

“I am truly honored to serve as an inaugural co-chair for the Nonprofit Advisory Council with the Mayor’s Office for Nonprofit Services,” said Dr. Darlene Williams, president and chief executive officer, Union Settlement. “As leaders dedicated to serving our community, the advisory council provides an invaluable opportunity to foster innovation, address the diverse needs of our city’s residents, and the integral role of nonprofit organizations. It is a privilege to stand alongside such dedicated community partners and organizations, united in our shared mission to enhance the well-being of all New Yorkers.”

Click here to read the full press realease.

March 14, 2024 – Mayor Adams Announces 3 Year COLA for Human Services

In an effort to prioritize the well-being of the city’s human services workforce, NYC Mayor Eric Adams has announced a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) that will provide a 3% annual increase, totaling $741 million, in pay for human services workers over the next three years beginning July 1, 2024.

This move comes as a response to advocacy efforts by organizations such the Human Services Council (HSC), a coalition comprising 170 entities within New York’s non-profit services sector, including Union Settlement.

Dr. Darlene Williams, President & CEO at Union Settlement, was in attendance during the announcement. Dr. Williams is a member of the HSC’s Priority and Strategy Council, which spearheaded the “#justpay” campaign. This campaign shed light on the low wages that New York City’s 80,000 human services workers have endured due to underfunded contracts, with statistics revealing a troubling 30% pay gap compared to their counterparts in the public sector. In 2019, two-thirds of all full-time human services workers were earning below the city’s near-poverty threshold. This has a significant impact on women and minorities — 66% of human services workers are female (66%), 68% are full-time workers of color, and nearly half (46%) are women of color.

Dr. Williams emphasized the importance of this COLA, stating, “Our dedicated staff, alongside countless other human service workers throughout New York City, devote themselves to caring for our communities, yet they have not received the care they deserve. While this marks just one step forward, it is a crucial stride toward establishing fair compensation for our tireless workforce.”

This announcement highlights New York City’s commitment to creating a supportive and equitable environment for its human services workers, ensuring that they can continue to provide high-quality care and support to those who need it most. Including today’s announcement, the administration has invested over $1.4 billion towards wage enhancements for the human services sector.

March 5, 2024 – NBC News Feature on East Harlem Target

Dr. Darlene Williams, Union Settlement President & Chief Executive Officer, joins other East Harlem Stakeholders to discuss the impact closing Target has on the East Harlem Community.

Closed for crime? Why this local Target shutting down matters (youtube.com)

Target’s first-ever Manhattan store was a staple in the East Harlem community — until it closed last year. The company blamed theft and safety, but nearby stores with more reported crimes remain open. Did a surge in shoplifting really shut this Target down, or did something else cause the closure? We’ll uncover in this week’s Stay Tuned and look at why retail theft impacts all our wallets.

February 8, 2024 – Black History Month Walking Tour

Union Settlement had the privilege of collaborating with East Harlem local and historian, Christopher Bell, to host a walking tour of East Harlem in honor of Black History Month. Bell led participants on a historic journey through the neighborhood, making stops at iconic landmarks like Langston Hughes’ home, the National Black Theatre, and historic African burial grounds.

View more from the tour on our Instagram.

January 26, 2024 – ECE Enrollment Week!

Union Settlement’s dedicated Early Childhood and Education (ECE)  team cares for our youngest residents ages 0-5. In an effort to promote our ECE classes, we hosted a week-long enrollment fair! Parents and guardians were invited to each ECE location to ask questions, view classrooms, and start their enrollment applications on-site!  

For more information about our Early Childhood programs, click here.

To see more pictures from the week, visit our Instagram.