Facility profile New York
Green Chimneys
Formerly Green Chimneys School for Little Folksource
Green Chimneys is a therapeutic boarding & day school in Brewster, New York. It has operated since 1948.
About Green Chimneys
It cost around $50,000 for day students.source It had a Clearpool Campus, 350 acres, Carmel NY (33 Clearpool Rd).source
Survivor testimony
What people who lived or worked here say happened. Survivors' own words are published with their permission; forum accounts are what was posted publicly and are reported as claims, not findings.
Reported on survivor forums
Timeline
From the records: who ran it and the deals that moved it, its names, and the deaths, incidents, inspection findings, lawsuits and news stories on file. Point at an event, or tap "More about this", for the details.
1948
Opened in Brewster, New York
2011
Investigation
In 2011 survivors started a Change.org petition calling for a formal investigation of Green Chimneys and founder Samuel B.
Investigation
In 2011 survivors started a Change.org petition calling for a formal investigation of Green Chimneys and founder Samuel B. Ross Jr. over alleged beatings, sexual abuse and abusive staff.
2013
Restraint
A former student reported being thrown to the floor and restrained by a staff member, Mr.
Restraint
A former student reported being thrown to the floor and restrained by a staff member, Mr. King, leaving large bruises, and that the family went to local police.
2014
Runaway
On September 7, 2014 a 17-year-old resident ran away and was found on Coney Island on September 12; he was not permitted to return as a flight risk.
Runaway September 7, 2014
2020
Sexual abuse
In 2020 two survivors from the 1960s and 70s alleged a house parent repeatedly sexually abused them and over 20 other students, and that they and 24 students told Samuel Ross Jr.
Sexual abuse
In 2020 two survivors from the 1960s and 70s alleged a house parent repeatedly sexually abused them and over 20 other students, and that they and 24 students told Samuel Ross Jr. who did nothing.
Nonprofit tax filings
The yearly returns (IRS Form 990) of the nonprofit this program operates under, from the IRS through ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer.
Green Chimneys School For Little Folk
EIN 14-1462234, Brewster, NY. Filed with the IRS as mental health and crisis services, tax-exempt since 1960. Every filing on ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Paid to officers and directors | Assets at year end | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Form 990 | ||||
| 2023 | $21,947,348 | $22,738,255 | $0 | $64,885,657 | Form 990 |
| 2022 | $19,801,644 | $19,864,599 | $0 | $65,321,435 | Form 990 |
| 2021 | $19,769,290 | $18,395,163 | $0 | $63,909,351 | Form 990 |
| 2020 | $18,612,954 | $21,764,300 | $0 | $62,078,211 | Form 990 |
| 2019 | $20,816,667 | $19,370,489 | $240,000 | $60,926,210 | Form 990 |
| 2018 | $21,366,287 | $17,583,720 | $240,000 | $61,509,121 | Form 990 |
| 2017 | $18,802,033 | $15,924,924 | $531,687 | $53,456,658 | Form 990 |
| 2016 | $16,115,794 | $15,184,938 | $483,651 | $48,485,234 | Form 990 |
| 2015 | $14,580,090 | $15,689,431 | $185,586 | $50,015,979 | Form 990 |
Earlier years (14)
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Paid to officers and directors | Assets at year end | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | $24,516,476 | $15,892,808 | $201,205 | $49,533,054 | Form 990 |
| 2013 | $12,830,526 | $13,657,429 | $178,878 | $42,810,500 | Form 990 |
| 2012 | $13,185,546 | $12,517,283 | $157,632 | $43,546,272 | Form 990 |
| 2011 | $13,967,585 | $11,800,252 | $166,440 | $43,585,228 | Form 990 |
| 2010 | Form 990 | ||||
| 2009 | Form 990 | ||||
| 2008 | Form 990 | ||||
| 2007 | Form 990 | ||||
| 2006 | Form 990 | ||||
| 2005 | Form 990 | ||||
| 2004 | Form 990 | ||||
| 2003 | Form 990 | ||||
| 2002 | Form 990 | ||||
| 2001 | Form 990 |
Incidents on record
-
2011 Investigation
In 2011 survivors started a Change.org petition calling for a formal investigation of Green Chimneys and founder Samuel B. Ross Jr. over alleged beatings, sexual abuse and abusive staff.source
-
2013 Restraint
A former student reported being thrown to the floor and restrained by a staff member, Mr. King, leaving large bruises, and that the family went to local police.source
-
September 7, 2014 Runaway
On September 7, 2014 a 17-year-old resident ran away and was found on Coney Island on September 12; he was not permitted to return as a flight risk.source
-
2020 Sexual abuse
In 2020 two survivors from the 1960s and 70s alleged a house parent repeatedly sexually abused them and over 20 other students, and that they and 24 students told Samuel Ross Jr. who did nothing.source
Staff
Administration
-
Adele MacDonald
Co-founder (1948, r/troubledteens wiki)source
-
Barney Ross
Co-founder (1948, r/troubledteens wiki)source
Notable staff
-
Samuel B. Ross Jr.
Founder, former Headmaster, and former Managing Directorsource
-
Joseph Whalen
Former Executive Directorsource
Elsewhere in the industry
- the Executive Director of Green Chimneys until 2017
-
Dr. Edward Placke
Executive Directorsource
-
Lauren Bennett
Deputy Executive Directorsource
-
Richard B. Hill
Second in commandsource
-
Robert Doig
House Parent (2020, r/troubledteens wiki)source
-
Sam B. Ross, Sr.
Medical care providersource
Documents
From the Unsilenced archive
13 documents about Green Chimneys that Unsilenced collected and Kids Over Profits does not hold a copy of. They open on Unsilenced's Google Drive. Their folders: Green Chimneys, Green Chimneys (1).
- 2021-2022-GC-School-Calendar.pdf
- 2021-Camp-Scholarship-Application-x.pdf
- Additional Links for Green Chimneys.xlsx
- Authorization-for-Protected-Health-Information.pdf
- Camel-Workshop-2022_Prelim-Schedule-Feb1.pdf
- CAMPS_Hillside_Medical_Form-2021.pdf
- CBS-Childrens-Mental-Health-Svcs-May-2020.pdf
- Green-Chimneys-School-Testing-Contact-Tracing-9.15.20.pdf
- Green-Chimneys-Time-Off-Policy.pdf
- Internship-Handbook-2021.pdf
- Leir-Internship-Program-at-Green-Chimneys-v2-26.pdf
- Letter-to-Parents-Reopening-Visitation-6.4.20.pdf
- Parent-Training-Series-2020-2021.pdf
Wiki entries
We have questions about Green Chimneys
If you were there, worked there or sent your child there, you can help fill in what our records are missing. Each question takes a moment; skip anything you do not know.
Materials and links
External links
A program's own website is linked as an archived snapshot, so the page reads as it did when it was captured.
Survivor posts and discussion
Reference and research
1 of these from SCIAD NET.