Services for the UnderServed

Services for the UnderServed, known as S:US, is a nonprofit organisation founded in 1978 that works with people facing homelessness, poverty or disabilities across New York. Its community-based supportive programmes are designed to give individuals tools to empower themselves rather than to prescribe predefined paths. The organisation employs some 1,800 staff members and has grown over more than four decades of operation.

Alongside direct services, S:US runs continuous quality improvement initiatives intended to translate on-the-ground learning into systemic change, reaching from individuals to entire communities. Staff live in the communities they serve, which grounds the work in local understanding and long-standing relationships with residents.

The organisation describes a culture in which ideas and information flow freely across teams, with collaboration, creativity and cross-functional working deliberately encouraged. Stated values include integrity, consistency, fairness and the maximising of individual potential, alongside respect for human dignity and for each person's own definition of a purposeful life. A further commitment is to countering stigma and strengthening the communities in which the organisation operates.

• Founded: 1978
• Staff: 1,800
• Sectors: social services, homelessness, poverty alleviation, disability services, community development
• Presence: New York