Henry Street Settlement

Henry Street proudly submitted testimony this afternoon at the City Council Finance Committee oversight hearing on the Department of Youth and Community Development budget. Our team stood up for core funding for our Boys & Girls Republic afterschool program—part of the COMPASS (Comprehensive Afterschool System of New York City) network of providers—to ensure that NYC’s kids continue to receive safe, enriching, top-quality afterschool care. A big thank you to Council Member Harvey Epstein () for leading the advocacy to ensure that this funding is included in the city budget.

Photo: Ken Jockers, Hudson Guild

Henry Street honors the life of tenor saxophonist and jazz legend, Sonny Rollins (1930-2026).

Rollins had a strong connection to the Lower East Side. At the height of his career, he left the Harlem music scene and moved to the Lower East Side, taking a two-year sabbatical from 1959 to 1961. While living on Grand Street, with no space to practice in his tenement apartment, Rollins would make his way to the Williamsburg Bridge and play alone for 15 to 16 hours per day. This practice continued for two years, in all seasons, and influenced the name of the record that ended his hiatus, “The Bridge.” Rollins once said in The New York Times referring to his time on the bridge that “playing against the sky really does improve your volume, and your wind capacity. I could have just stayed up there forever.”

While on the Lower East Side, Rollins briefly studied harmony and counterpoint at Henry Street with pianist and instructor, Max Hughes. His time spent in lower Manhattan and on Williamsburg Bridge further cemented Rollins’ legacy as an improvisational genius.

📸 Album cover for “The Bridge” by Sonny Rollins, Sony Music Entertainment

What happens when you connect with someone younger than you…or maybe someone older?

“Bridging Generations” is a year-long initiative by and that explores this question, centering on intergenerational exchange, oral history, community storytelling, and creative collaboration.

At Henry Street Settlement, the initiative brought together local high school students, young adults, and older adults who participated in a two-way learning model. Through engaging in partnered activities, sharing lived experiences and collaborating artistically, participants fostered new, intergenerational connections.

Participants also had their portraits taken together, which are now on view at the 2026 Photoville Festival! If you’re looking for a rewarding experience this weekend, stop by to see the outcome of this project and the other 85+ amazing outdoor exhibitions also being presented.

📸 Lanna Apisukh (), “Bridging Generations: An Intergenerational Learning and Storytelling Project”

📆 May 16-30, open all day
📍 Brooklyn Bridge Park
✨ Free!

What an incredible night on the Lower East Side ✨

On Thursday, May 14, Henry Street Settlement launched its inaugural Gala Preview at Independent, the celebrated invitation-only show for contemporary art in New York. Collectors, luminaries, and Henry Street’s biggest supporters enjoyed 76 gallery exhibitions featuring over 100 artists, while raising critical funding for core programs that help our neighbors find jobs, access food, pursue higher education, secure mental health care and housing, participate in the arts, and build pathways to long-term success.

As Independent debuted at Pier 36, and, in doing so, made possible a new home for Henry Street’s Gala Preview, this exciting new partnership highlighted the creative energy and cultural legacy of the Lower East Side, Henry Street’s community for more than 133 years.

Henry Street is deeply grateful to our generous sponsors, Board of Directors, Gala Preview Host and Benefit Committees, and the thousands of benefactors who made the evening possible.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in creating lasting social change across our community. 🎨🧡

📸: David Benthal & Skylar Searing | BFA.com

New York City Council Member, Harvey Epstein (NYC District 2) stopped by for an in-depth conversation with his youth counterparts—the elected officials of Henry Street’s Boys & Girls Republic—about how change gets made in New York City and the importance of speaking up for community needs. With the city budget now under discussion, Council Member Epstein listened attentively to the next generation of leaders as the Settlement’s young people described powerfully the importance of safe high-quality afterschool in their lives. We commend Council Member Epstein for going straight to the source—his youth constituents—for insight and advocacy—and in the process modeling to BGR’s youth leaders how to draw out the needs of their peer constituents. Thank you, Council Member !

Interested in clean energy? Wanting to learn technical skills? 🔋

Henry Street Settlement and Solar One are helping New Yorkers ages 18+ launch careers in NYC’s growing clean energy industry in just five weeks—completely free of charge.

In just five weeks, you’ll gain hands-on experience and become eligible for industry-recognized solar certifications, among many others!

📅 Training starts: June 22, 2026
🖥️ Info session: Monday, May 18, from 12 to 1 p.m. on Zoom (required)
*Demonstrate your interest or register for the info session via the link below

📌Eligibility: NYC residents, ages 18+, with a high school diploma/GED, authorized to work in the U.S, and available for in person training June 22-July 27. We’re especially excited to connect with our Lower East Side neighbors and help build pathways right here in our own community.

🌐 Find the interest form at HenryStreet.org/GreenWorkforce

It’s simple: equal work deserves equal wages.

Despite this, nonprofit human services workers earn 30% less than City workers — for the same job.

📣That’s why Henry Street is rallying to support Int 0452 (Wage Equity Legislation), which would help close the pay gap and advance for our workers.

By creating a new wage requirement system that aligns nonprofit and City salaries, Int 0452 goes beyond short-term fixes. It creates an entirely new system that supports wage equity for the long-haul.

and — pass Int 0452 now!

THWIP! BLAM! KABOOM! 💥

Henry Street cheered today as New York City co-named a block of Essex Street on the Lower East Side for the legendary Marvel cartoonist Jack Kirby, who grew up attending, and inventing his earlier characters, at Boys Brotherhood Republic—the precursor to Henry Street Settlement’s Boys & Girls Republic. Kirby, among history’s most revered illustrators, is known for having created the Fantastic Four comic series—a prototype for modern superheroes—and for co-creating Captain America, the Hulk, the Avengers, and many more.

The co-naming acknowledges the block where Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg) was born and comes after a campaign led by City Council Member Chris Marte and pop-culture historian Roy Schwartz. On hand were Henry Street President & CEO David Garza with team member Jaime Maitin, Frank Langley, and Henry Street VPs Debbie Cox, and Connie Mendez.

In 2026, Marvel also honored Kirby by providing a generous grant to Henry Street to make possible illustration education throughout our programs.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the hardworking moms on the Lower East Side and everywhere! ❤️

Marla Aaron came through again to host this special event, with additional support from Materials for the Arts (MFTA), to celebrate and uplift the moms in Henry Street programs, especially all the incredible single moms, and to honor the strength, love, and resilience they show every day in raising and caring for their children.

For the past five years, Henry Street has partnered with jewelry designer Marla Aaron and her namesake company, which has supported the event through volunteers, donations, and special gifts for the moms.

This year, Marla’s team brought caterer Audrey Falk for an elevated brunch, curating beautiful decorations and table settings, setting up a flower bar for moms and their children to design their own bouquets, and making sure every mom left with a special Marla Aaron heart lock. Moms from our ESOL program, Jobs Plus, Early Childhood Education, CONNECT mental health program, and Parent Center joined in the celebration.