The United South End Settlements consist of four settlement houses, founded as part of the Settlement movement to provide services such as daycare, education, and healthcare to improve the lives of the poor, and a children's museum dating back to 1891. With their slogan of "neighbors helping neighbors since 1891", the United South End Settlements continues to serve Boston's South End and Lower Roxbury community today. USES has grown and evolved over time to remain relevant to the South End.
History
The history of USES began in 1891 when William J. Tucker founded what was to become known as the South End House at 6 Rollins Street. The South End House would be the first of its kind "in Boston and the fourth one in the United States." Before the incorporation of the final five organizations into USES, the Federation of South End Settlements was formed in 1950. The Federation of South End Settlements was made up of the South End House, Lincoln House, Hale House, Harriet Tubman House, Ellis Memorial House, and Eldridge House. This federation was founded in order to create a larger pool of funds for the organizations to share. Eventually the Ellis Memorial and Eldridge Houses would disassociate themselves in 1959, and the four remaining houses and the Children's Art Centre would unite to become the United South End Settlements in January 1960. USES originally focused on providing services to " housing, public health, and sanitation, developing day care programs that included medical care for children, and creating mental health programs." Specifically, USES' "residents established milk stations, public baths, dispensaries, and services, such as emergency loan and stamp savings programs" USES also founded "specialized schools for industrial, vocational, and employment training for both women and men" to create more opportunity in the South End neighborhood. Culture and arts were not forgotten in the South End either as USES provided "free concerts, art exhibitions, reading rooms, and a variety of social, drama, and literary clubs" for its residents. As of 2014, USES still provides many of the same services that it has all along, incorporating the technology of today into its programs and curriculums for the residents of the South End and Lower Roxbury community.
Individuals interested in volunteering with the organization must submit an application. All volunteers and interns are given the opportunity to list their preferred programs and hours of availability.
Donations
Donating to USES is possible online. Donors that give at least one-thousand dollars annually are named members of the Harriet Tubman Society and their names can be featured on the USES website.
