The Community Place- Media Room

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (September 6, 2007)- For more than 100 years, settlement houses in Rochester have been working with marginalized and underrepresented residents to help them build a better life and a better community. The Rochester Settlement House Conference, sponsored by The Community Place of Greater Rochester, Visiting Nurse Services of Rochester, and Nazareth College’s Center for Service Learning, will celebrate the rich history of settlement houses in Rochester while looking to their future and the futures of the people they serve. The conference will take place September 27 from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. in the Schults Center at Nazareth College. The cost of the conference is $40, $20 for students, or $35 each for groups of five or more. The fee includes breakfast, lunch, and all materials. To register by phone call Eric Thomas at 585-336-4690. More information on the conference and a downloadable registration form can be found at www.communityplace.org/conference.htm.

Settlement houses, which originated to help immigrants assimilate into American society, have long filled gaps left by other social and government programs and services. Their success is evidenced by their longevity, continued breadth of services, and ability to adapt to the needs of the people and communities they serve. Conference participants will see how settlement houses worked with those in the social work, community health, and education fields, and learn how they can continue to work together to improve the Rochester community. The sessions will be interactive, allowing participants to brainstorm, plan, and discuss ideas, strategies, and goals.

The conference is open to people interested in learning the history of Rochester settlement houses and helping identify ways settlement houses can work with those in the community health, social work, and education fields to build better communities. This includes, but is not limited to: community health and health care professionals; social work professionals; education professionals; higher education professionals and professors; college students; government officials; and funders and philanthropists.

Workshop topics will cover community health approaches, youth development, the history of social issues, and health disparities. Workshop presenters include Nazareth College faculty, Visiting Nurse Services staff, University of Rochester faculty, The Community Place staff, and Dr. Glenna Barnes from North Carolina A&T State University. Dr. Daan Braveman, president, Nazareth College, will speak during lunch.

The Community Place of Greater Rochester, Inc. is a nonprofit provider of neighborhood-based human services that offers a variety of programs and services to individuals, families, children, the aging, and the developmentally disabled living in the greater Rochester area. The Community Place was formed from the merger of the former Lewis Street Center, Genesee Settlement House, and Eastside Community Center. 2007 marks The Community Place’s centennial. Find out more at www.communityplace.org.