VNS and Henry Street: Together Again
By Henry Street Settlement
“I’m here today because our organizations have a shared history, a shared commitment to improving social conditions, and a shared vision for the future to change lives and build stronger communities,” said David Garza, Executive Director of Henry Street, during a speech to social workers employed by the Visiting Nurse Service of New York.
Henry Street Settlement and the Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY) go way back – all the way to 1893 when Lillian Wald established both organizations. VNS became a separate entity in 1944, but on March 19th, there was a merger of sorts when Garza spoke at the VNS 2014 Social Work Month Celebration luncheon. The celebration, held at the Edison Ballroom in midtown Manhattan, was attended by nearly 350 VNSNY social workers, senior leaders and guests.
“I head to work each day like I’m going to put out a fire – because I know that the people we serve at Henry Street, like the thousands of individuals that you serve – their lives depend on what we do,” said Garza. “When other people are uncertain about how to help someone in need, social workers figure it out, not because it’s a job, but because it’s a calling.
“This was the case for the founder of both of our organizations, Lillian Wald.”
Other speakers at the event were Mary Ann Christopher, President and CEO of VNSNY; Jacqueline B. Mondros, DSW, Dean, Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College; and Robert Schachter, DSW, LMSW, Director of the National Association of Social Workers-NYC.
