February - Neighborhood House

Neighborhood House Association, established in 1896, is dedicated to providing a Safe Haven with comprehensive services that meet the social, emotional and material needs of individuals and families from infancy to the elderly. The common goal of all services is to enhance the quality of life and foster independence of those served.

Neighborhood House was founded as a settlement house. It began with a church service in September of 1896. Poor immigrants could find refuge and receive many of life's necessities. A 1910 census report showed that 2/3 of the residents in the Eighth Ward (the South Side) were either foreign born or of foreign parentage. Fourteen different languages were spoken and immigrants had settled in this area to find their freedom and fortune. 

Neighborhood House will continue to provide the core comprehensive services that began in 1896. We will remain in constant communication with our citizens, service recipients, and community leaders. We have the unique ability to continually assess the needs of the community and to promptly initiate specialized comprehensive programs to meet identified needs.

At Neighborhood House, they believe:

• That all lives are enriched by participation in a compassionate and supportive community
• That the enduring strength of our Neighborhood Community relies on cultivating a spirit of neighborliness and mutual respect among diverse populations
• That Neighborhood House should work to bring groups and individuals together as an inclusive community
• That families require lifelines of support and benefit from community services and programs responsive to their needs
• That children and their families from all socioeconomic backgrounds should have equal access to quality early childhood programs
• That children and teens should have a safe environment for their development in order to foster positive social Interactions
• That seniors, including the home-bound elderly, need and deserve to be valued as individuals who are important to the fabric of community life
• That an effective settlement house must continually evolve and adapt to the ever changing needs of its community.

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