Rich History & Philanthropy
For over seventy years, Andrus on Hudson has provided different levels of compassionate care in our nursing home thanks to Helen Whittier Andrus Benedict (1888–1969). Helen was the youngest daughter of John Emory Andrus, and a significant figure in the philanthropic landscape, continuing the legacy of her father. After her father's passing, she played a crucial role in upholding and advancing his legacy and philanthropic vision, especially through the John E. Andrus Memorial, Inc., established in Hastings-on-Hudson. This initiative underscored her dedication to her father's legacy of providing care and support for the elderly, embodying his wish for communities to offer "opportunity to youth and rest to the aged".
Her contributions and a foundation established in her memory highlight the Andrus family's ongoing commitment to philanthropy, community service, and the well-being of society's older population.
John Emory Andrus
John Emory Andrus was born in 1841 in Pleasantville, New York. The son of a Methodist minister, Mr. Andrus was a lay leader of the Methodist Church.
In his 60s, he was elected mayor of Yonkers, New York, and then served four terms in the U.S. Congress.
A devoted family man, he founded the Surdna Foundation (Andrus spelled backwards) in 1917, a charitable organization, and the Julia Dyckman Andrus Memorial Home for Children in 1928, an orphanage that was a tribute to his beloved wife, an orphan herself, at the site of her adoptive family’s farm in Westchester County, New York.
After his death in 1934, much of Mr. Andrus’ fortune went to the preservation of the Surdna Foundation.
In 1953, his youngest daughter, Helen Whittier Andrus Benedict, continued his legacy establishing the John E. Andrus Memorial, Inc., just north of the Children’s Home in Hastings-on-Hudson.
Today, Andrus on Hudson as a skilled nursing facility provides post-hospital care, long-term care and memory care. Thanks to Helen Whittier Andrus Benedict, we continue Andrus’ expressed wish that
his legacy provide communities with “opportunity to youth and rest to the aged.”