Our History

Good Shepherd Services has uplifted communities in New York City since the 1940s. Our work is rooted in that of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd who arrived in New York City more than 150 years ago to help young girls and women who could no longer live at home.

Today, we carry on the Good Shepherd name and we have grown into a nonsectarian organization of diverse backgrounds and affiliations. We’re united in our commitment to provide services to anyone who needs them.

Our history in New York City

Entrenched in work that was started by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in New York City in 1857 and incorporated in 1947, Good Shepherd Services in its early years focused on providing residential care to young women who could not live at home.

In the early 1970s, we recognized the need to surround families who lived in economically unstable areas with comprehensive services in their communities. In 1972, we initiated a family support program in South Brooklyn and soon began to collaborate with the NYC Department of Education to develop the first of what has become a broad range of innovative and successful educational support models in schools.

In partnership with the community, we have built a continuum of neighborhood-based youth development, educational, vocational, and family support services that now includes more than 90 programs—all dedicated to meeting the needs of New Yorkers who live in neighborhoods where inequitable education and scarce resources are pervasive.