Hamilton-Madison House
The neighborhood is a federally designated poverty area, with a constantly changing mixture of ethnic groups, and lack of adequate services and resources.
Between 1880 and 1923, during the height of the exodus from the Old World, Jewish immigrants from all over Europe moved into crowded tenements on Manhattan's Lower East Side.
They found work on the wharves loading and unloading bags of sugar, tea, coffee and spices that came from countries like the ones they left behind.
In 1898, two young East European idealists founded the Madison House of the Downtown Ethical society to fight some of the serious problems of the day.
Hamilton-Madison House's ESL Program, (English as a Second Language) offers free morning classes, from beginner to advanced levels.
On July 1, 2001, Peter Yee became Hamilton-Madison House's new Assistant Executive Director for Behavioral health Services.
The center works to empower the community and to promote its recovery through a holistic approach by providing behavioral health services, consultation, education, workshops, and advocacy.
The admission criteria are 18 years of age and older with documented history of mental disability and psychiatric treatment.
This program provides school pick up, supervised and mandatory homework completion, individual and group tutoring, arts and crafts, computer literacy, yoga, life skills, and a nutritious meal.
Summer Day Camp is a seven-week program that provides activities for the children to learn teamwork and sportsmanship as well as develop increased communication skills and empathy.
Ages 13–21 Teen Program – 50 Madison Street is open weeknights for the teens and gives them a safe environment to socialize with their friends, receive homework assistance, speak with a social worker, play pick-up basketball, engage in HIV/AIDS peer education, and surf the net.
The participants learn the fundamentals of spinning discs, the history of music, working an audience, and developing entrepreneurial skills.
Helen Hall, Headworker of Henry Street Settlement and a member of the Hamilton House Board, urges Mr. Wiener on.
1953 When the second half of Smith Houses is completed, a community space and a 55 child pre-school Day Care Center are allocated.
1969 Hamilton-Madison House establishes Big Brother and Sister Corps and Services to Chinese Immigrants.
1970 Susan Chan is hired as a social worker for a Chinese Immigrant Program at Hamilton-Madison House.
The Chinatown Family Consultation Center treats Chinese patients in 12 dialects 1980 The Indo-Chinese Refugee Program is funded in February 1980 by the State Department of Social Services through a joint proposal submitted by Hamilton-Madison House and the Chinatown Planning Council.
1981 Helen Hall, a celebrated leader in the settlement movement and social services and the Honorary Chairperson of Hamilton-Madison House, dies.
In the fall, specialized bilingual, bicultural services begin for the city's Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Southeast Asian communities.
1983 Two grants from the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies help Hamilton-Madison House to bring together the churches and synagogues in the area to come up with beds for the homeless.
1986 Hamilton-Madison House celebrates the settlement movement centennial with a black-tie benefit on Thursday, June 5.
Four prominent settlement workers and alumni of Hamilton-Madison House are honored: Dr. Algernon Black, Helen L. Buttenweiser, Shirley Chisholm Hardwick and Lillian Robbins.
Through an intergenerational program, teens are hired to escort homebound seniors to visit doctors, banks and to shop.
1995 Susan Chan, Associate Executive Director, represented the International Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centers to participate at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing.
Eugenia Willard began serving as a volunteer at Hamilton House during World War II.
1997 In May 1997, a milestone is reached when HMH renowned multilingual, multicultural mental health programs are centralized at 253 South Street.
Almost all of the programs in the newly organized Hamilton-Madison House Childcare Center offer services from 8:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. daily.
Highlights for our Centennial included the 19th Annual Chinatown Banquet on March 27 at Jing Fong on Elizabeth Street; an HMH photo exhibit at the Tenement Museum on April 2; a Centennial Street Fair on September 26; and a Black Tie Gala held on November 9 at the Downtown Marriott.
2001 In response to the tragic events of September 11th attacks Hamilton-Madison House staff hire 10 new social workers, who provide grief and disaster counseling to children and adults.
The free services are available in 10 languages including 5 dialects of Chinese 2002 The City Hall Senior Center moves to a new location at 100 Gold Street just in time to celebrate its 50-year anniversary in December.
