Founded 140 years ago by trailblazing reformers on the Lower East Side, University Settlement was the very first settlement house in the Americas. Today, it partners with over 40,000 neighbors across 30+ locations in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn to deliver innovative, vital social services. Our guest is CEO Melissa Aase, who began her journey with the organization more than 35 years ago as a social work intern. We discuss the evolving landscape of public safety nets, preparing communities for shifts in SNAP and healthcare benefits, and what it means to be named one of Newsweek’s best mid-size workplaces.