Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center
Two women participate in a knitting activity. One knits with green needles while the other observes and offers guidance.
Volunteers distribute fresh produce and packaged food at Goddard Riverside’s Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center. A woman loads a blue cart with assistance from a volunteer, while others unpack boxes and organize food.
Three children standing together smiling while wearing backpacks

Welcome to the Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center

Since merging into Goddard Riverside in 2017, the Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center (LSNC) at 250 W 65th Street has continued to serve the varied needs of its local community through programming rooted in the historic settlement house tradition.

The center provides early childhood education, after-school and summer programs for youth, pathways for teens and young adults including job training, and a full slate of services and enrichment for older adults. Through arts, academics, wellness, career readiness, and social supports, LSNC carries forward a proud legacy of multi-generational community service on the Upper West Side.

LSNC was established in 1947 as part of the settlement house movement. The center occupies a two-floor leased space within the Amsterdam Addition building (NYCHA), at 250 West 65th Street. From its earliest days to today, it has primarily served residents of that building’s upper floors and the surrounding Amsterdam Houses (13 NYCHA buildings between 61st and 65th Streets).

The 2017 merger with Goddard Riverside expanded LSNC’s programmatic reach and institutional support. Rather than being absorbed, LSNC retained its name and core programming, ensuring continuity for longtime participants while gaining the resources of a larger organization. The center continues to grow today!

Explore a snapshot of current programs below, and visit individual program pages for a deeper dive into what LSNC offers our neighbors.

Programs at LSNC

Early Childhood & 3-K / Pre-K

  • Goddard Riverside operates early childhood programs (2- to 5-year-olds) at two sites, including the Lincoln Square Early Childhood Center.

Youth & Young Adults

  • After-School & Summer Day Camp: After-school programs for children in kindergarten through 6th grade, and a summer day camp for children entering kindergarten through 7th grade (ages 4 to 13). These programs provide enrichment, academic support, and creative partnerships during afternoons, evenings, and summer.
  • COFA (Creating Opportunities for Amsterdam): A free year-round pathways program for teens and young adults ages 14 to 26, with a special focus on at-risk youth. Offers job readiness training, social activities, and exposure to new opportunities.
  • Health Training Program: Free Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and Patient Care Technician courses, expanded to LSNC through Goddard Riverside’s merger with the Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center. Includes a full training course, paid internship, scrubs, shoes, and books — with job placement upon completion. Email EWInfo@goddard.org for more information. [INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM PAGE COMING SOON]

Older Adult & NORC Services

  • The Lincoln Square Older Adult Center/NORC Program continues to operate at the 65th Street site with social, fitness, arts, wellness, lunch, case management, and outreach to homebound seniors

Community / Neighborhood Engagement & Partnerships

  • LSNC remains a vital hub for the Amsterdam Houses community, offering partnerships, events, and resources including a food pantry.

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