Green Chimneys was founded in 1947 by the Ross Family, who purchased a 75 acre farm in the Town of Patterson, Putnam County, NY to house a private school where children could interact with farm animals. The property has since been expanded to over 160 acres. The school's name is attributed to the green chimneys and cupolas that top all of the barns and buildings. The school evolved into specializing in the care of children with special needs and in 1974 expanded its scope and became a social service agency.

The agency serves children and adults with handicapping conditions and regular children and adults from New York City, the Mid-Hudson Region, Westchester, Putnam and counties of western Connecticut. To date the agency is considered the strongest and most diverse of its kind involving farm, animal, plant and wildlife assisted activities. Green Chimneys sees its mission as providing care and concern of all living things and targets its services at restoring and strengthening the emotional health and well-being of children and families and fostering optimal functioning and independence. We strive to develop a harmonious relationship between people, animals, plants, nature and the environment through an array of educational, recreational, vocational and mental health services. We are a voluntary, non-sectarian, multi-service agency.

We are committed to high standards of professional service and to constructive and purposeful use of all the resources available to us. We believe that the intermingling of various populations in an atmosphere which is stimulating and as normal as possible, enhances the quality of life. We are prepared to undertake new projects which are consistent with our mission and which meet community need.

Green Chimneys School for Little Folk, the original corporation, is an educational corporation, and Green Chimneys Children's Services is a social service, mental health and mental retardation corporation. They are separate corporations. Both are organized as not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) corporations. The board is identical and the administrative staff for both are the same. The school corporation was founded in 1947 and the social services in 1974. Had the services been established first, New York State would have permitted the merger of the two corporations, but since the school holds a permanent charter, the New York State Education Department opposed the merging of the two entities. We, nevertheless, operate as one unit and prepare an audit which covers both corporations and is designed to satisfy legal concerns.

A group of architects and planners stated that, "Green Chimneys 'Town' is a town for children; children from the inner city who have rarely experienced 'town' or 'house' or 'country' living." The Town was founded to foster self-sufficiency as well as 'citizenship' and belonging. This includes education, leisure, 'industry', household chores and 'commerce'. Everything has a place in the Town: a purpose, and a structure. Pride in ownership, maintenance, fellowship with neighbors and craftsmanship are evident everywhere. The child has a place, a house, a school, a garden, animals. "The Town is familiar, reminiscent of small towns for new settlers of the late nineteenth century. These towns were created and recreated on the hard work and spirit of their citizenry. The difference is these new settler's are children". Each morning the children and their teachers walk the grounds during clean-up time. The flower beds on grounds are planted and maintained by students. They make their beds, clean their rooms and assist with their laundry – all part of their daily routine.

Green Chimneys strives to accomplish more than a chance contact between people, plants, animals, nature and the environment. The goal is the actualization of an environmentally sound philosophy which bonds the children to each other, supportive adults, soil, plants, animals, nature and the environment. The agency seeks full participation in the effort for a sustainable society, and operates its organic garden program to demonstrate what this means, with a strong commitment to understand what role each of us must play in maintaining the planet earth. Many have spent their lifetimes searching for means for humans to better understand and accept the responsibility of environmental stewardship. Green Chimneys sees itself as part of that effort.

Children are our future. Every child is, therefore, important. Children need to be able to take their place in society and society has to be prepared to let them. Green Chimneys is taking international leadership in bringing together special needs children and animals, including wildlife, in need of special attention and care. A recent letter alluded to this with the statement "yours is an innovative and inspired program bringing together at-risk children and wildlife - in an effort to preserve both."