Northwestern University Settlement was founded in January 1891 by leaders of Northwestern University as a separate and financially independent institution. It formally opened its doors at its current location – two miles northwest of the Loop – in 1901. Northwestern University Settlement is the oldest settlement in the city of Chicago to remain in continuous operation, second in age only to Jane Addams Hull-House, and it is one of the few traditional settlement houses remaining in the entire country.
The Settlement equips its neighbors with the tools they need to succeed. Our entire program is based upon the concept of individual and family self-help, and the underlying philosophy that every person deserves to maximize his or her potential to become a productive member of society. Through more than 70 different programs and services, our staff and hundreds of volunteers work with nearly 8,000 neighbors each year through core programming and 38,000 through our theater.
All programs are interwoven to provide a continuum of services and opportunities to the families who live in the community. We focus on providing resources to our neighbors in three key areas:
assistance for the immediate short-term crisis; knowledge, opportunities, and support to break out of poverty over the long-term; access to a network of additional programs and services.
The Settlement offers a wide array of programs and services to its neighbors. The majority of these fall into three main categories: Youth, Arts, and Social Services. Education is woven into all three areas. Current programming includes managing a network of public charter high schools, a school age program, year-round residential camping, a teen program, a pre-school, a food pantry, a scholarship program, an emergency fund, an arts-in-education program that partners with more than 120 public schools, an AmeriCorps program, a 21st Century Community Learning Center program, a senior citizens club, and a Community Technology Center.
Providing alternatives is the central focus of the philosophy of Northwestern University Settlement. The needs of hunger and shelter are met with food and assistance with housing expenses. Limited expectations, lack of information, and isolation are countered by new learning experiences that promote self-confidence, motivation, and an increased awareness of opportunities in the world beyond the local community.
This holistic approach to community problem solving incorporates extensive networking with neighborhood schools, area universities, police, neighborhood governments, citywide non-profit organizations, local businesses, and other community-based organizations and service providers.
Last year, 55% of our clients were Hispanic, 29% were Black and 14% were White; 44% were under 18 and 98% were low-income. Over the past 116 years, we have served individuals and families from a wide range of racial and ethnic groups including Poles, Ukrainians, Russians, Germans, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Cubans, African Americans, and more.
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