Welcome to Around the Settlement, our monthly blog post sharing a deeper look into all of the vital programs and services provided by Grand St. Settlement throughout the Lower East Side, Brooklyn, and The Bronx.

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Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

2025 Latino Trailblazers

To kick off Hispanic Heritage Month, we're thrilled to share that Grand Street Settlement CEO Robert Cordero has been named to City and State NY's inaugural list of 2025 Latino Trailblazers! Through Robert's advocacy, impact, and partnership, he's led Grand Street to become an organization of choice for families in need throughout the Lower East Side, Brooklyn, and The Bronx, all while making time for the occasional piragua! Congratulations to Robert and the other incredible leaders recognized!

¡A bailar!

Concert in Motion brought the Baruch Elder Services Team NORC community together with lively salsa and Latin music to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Music and laughter filled the air as participants (and even some of our busy staff!) took to the dance floor.

Hispanic Heritage-Inspired Paint & Sip

As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, Lyons Community School students hosted a special Sip & Paint event where they celebrated different Hispanic cultures through art and music. Students enjoyed refreshing drinks (non-alcoholic, of course) while listening to Spanish music, painting, and learning about the lives and works of famous Hispanic artists.

Step Up for Our Neighbors

The Grand Street community stepped up for our neighbors in our first-ever 5K Fun Run! Our supporters ran from our Williamsburg Community Center across the Williamsburg Bridge before arriving at The Rose Center.

Thank you to Grand Street Board Member Dan Heasman for helping us organize the event and to our partners at F45 Training for leading runners in an invigorating warmup stretch, providing energizing refreshments, and offering incredible raffle prizes. Thanks to the generosity of our runners, we raised over $2,000 to support Grand Street programs!

Bronx Board Retreat

Grand Street's Board of Directors and Executive Team gathered at the Bronx Children's Museum (BxCM) to discuss advocacy actions, growth priorities, and FY26 organizational goals before rounding out the day with a tour of the museum. Thank you to our partners at BxCM for hosting us. With the imminent opening of our Bronx Child & Family Centers, we can't wait to continue our collaboration with our Bronx partners!

Back to School Corner

Our First Day!

At Seward Park Child & Family Center, the incredible staff put together a first day of school bulletin board inspired by a Grand Street favorite “My First Day” illustrated by Carla Torres. Featured were pictures of our young Seward Park learners having “their first day, the Grand Street Way!” 

Reading is Fundamental

Reading is fundamental at Stuyvesant Heights Child and Family Center! Students and their families were provided with books to celebrate Literacy Month, and photos were taken to celebrate the first day back to school!

DHL Delivers School Supplies

Just in time for the school year to begin, DHL really delivered and made a big impact for our youngest learners and their families! Employees stopped by Lower East Side Child and Family Centers to donate 150 back-to-school bags, including supplies and jigsaw puzzles. Thank you for your generous donation!

Back to School Carnival

Brooklyn Community Arts & Media High School (BCAM), in collaboration with Project Speak Out Loud (PSOL), kicked off the fall semester with a Back to School Carnival! Featuring educational resources, arts and crafts, classic carnival games, food trucks, and even a 3-on-3 basketball competition, BCAM students are ready and energized to start the school year!

National Head Start Fall Institute

Special Projects Manager Hannah Davidoff and Deputy Director of Government Relations Aaron Sanders attended this year’s National Head Start Fall Institute. The NHSA’s Fall Leadership Institute is a four-day deep dive into the policy and advocacy issues that will impact Head Start for years to come. Want to be updated on advocacy efforts regarding Head Start and other issues? Complete your profile to be added to our Advocacy updates.

Settlement House Strong!

Grand Street leadership had a blast at this year’s United Neighborhood Houses Annual Benefit: New Yorkers Who Make a Difference Benefit & Celebration. We're proud to be a part of this historic coalition of human services providers.

Lights, Camera, Learn!

Our friends at the International Center of Photography are developing an iPhone Photography course tailored to our older adults, who have expressed interest in improving their technological skills and finding ways to connect with and capture fond memories of loved ones. ICP invited Older Adult Center participants to a private educational tour of their current exhibitions, to introduce them to the space and get them excited about photography in preparation for their classes.

Out of This World!

Our Seward Park Community Center participants went out of this world for this next arts & crafts activity! They had the opportunity to design their very own spiral galaxies using chalk and black construction paper. Before the planning process began, students learned about the structure and natural beauty of spiral galaxies, followed by a discussion group. Each participant then used their supplies of vibrant chalk and construction paper to bring their unique starry galaxies to life. 

The Power of Aging Well

Las Dinámicas performed at The Power of Aging Well hosted at Thomas Jefferson Park. Grand Street Settlement is proud to be represented by such a vibrant and talented group of performers! Thank you to event organizers and sponsors, NYC Council Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala, Metropolitan Hospital, and the NYC Department for the Aging.

A Special Arts & Crafts Class

Paternal figures were guests of honor at our Lower East Side Child & Family Center! Dads, grandparents, uncles, and brothers came to participate in arts and crafts activities with their students while also learning more about our curriculum and activities.

Williamsburg's Earthy Bouquets

Williamsburg Community Center participants put their sustainability and recycling skills to the test when creating a gift for their parents. Using flowers and leaves gathered on the site, participants created special, one-of-a-kind, repurposed bouquets!

Celebrating Sunset Park Staff

Congratulations to Sunset Park Child & Family Center! Grand Street's incredible staff was presented with the Community Support Award at the Parent-Child Relationship Association for the work they're doing at Sunset Park to support families with access to quality early childhood programs.