University Settlement Society of New York

Good health outcomes are more prevalent in neighborhoods where people have easy access to nutritious, affordable food; safe and walkable streets; and active playgrounds and public spaces. Living in neighborhoods without these essentials, residents are more likely to be burdened with high rates of obesity, diabetes, or other chronic illnesses.

In 2015, NYHealth launched its Healthy Neighborhoods Fund, an initiative to help six communities across New York State become healthier and more active places. NYHealth invested $2 million in the initiative during its first two years, and has since leveraged an additional $181 million in funding for these six communities—helping nearly half a million New Yorkers have greater access to healthy, affordable food and safe ways in which to be physically active. NYHealth is continuing its commitment to the Healthy Neighborhoods Fund by investing an additional $2.5 million over the next three years in these six communities. In 2018, NYHealth awarded University Settlement Society of New York a grant to participate in this initiative.

Under this grant, University Settlement built upon efforts to activate and organize resources for healthy living in neighborhoods on the Lower East Side in Manhattan, with the goal of making healthy lifestyles accessible to residents of all ages. Specifically, University Settlement worked with older residents and partner organizations to assess communities’ needs and available services related to healthy eating; identified barriers to and opportunities for healthy, affordable food; and designed initiatives to promote and sustain healthy food access for residents. In addition, University Settlement partnered with neighborhoods to make physical activity safer and more accessible for seniors, including developing a branded map for a walking trail with at least three exercise circuits in public spaces.

See a full list of the Healthy Neighborhoods Fund grantees.