Rockland County - New York State's Second Smallest County But...

Please note that this story is not intended to be more than a casual conversation story without names or scholarship documentation. It's simply one person's opinion, intended to stir thoughts about our shared home.

My story begins sometime in the early of our last Century when Rockland began to be a "County of Human Care". For example are two of America's largest residential institutions for our intellectually disabled and our mentally ill established/operated by New York State.

Letchworth Village was built in 1911 in the north of our County and Rockland Psychiatric Hospital was built in 1926/1931 in the south of our County.

Letchworth was once home to 5, 500 adults and children. When the policy of deinstitutionism arrived, many wonderful not-for-profit service providers arose to take over. Among the leaders were/are Camp Venture, Jawonio & ARC, all great indeed.

Rockland Psychiatric Hospital built in 1926/1931 was once home to 9,000 patients. It also was dramatically changed by the deinstitutionism movement, but is still in operation serving our brothers and sisters suffering from mental illness and doing a great job.

Another human care movement was by the orphanages of many religions and other not-for-child care organizations which decided it was best for the children of the city to grown up in the open space and fresh air of what was a farming County ! I can only speak of three of the orphanages with first hand knowledge. One was St. Agnes in Sparkill, which was once a home for 900 boys operated by the Dominics of Sparkill. The Order now hosts St. Thomas Aquinas College. Another was St. Dominic's Home operated by the Dominicans of Blauvelt. The Order now hosts Dominican University and other human care programs. The other was St. Agathas' Home operated by the Sisters of Charity , which became a powerful leadership force for our intellectually disabled.

The Nuns have other missions and achievements worth mentioning. The Sparkill Dominicans operate an affordable housing program and so do the Sisters of Charity. What great gifts these order of Nuns gave to Rockland

If my memory is wrong, I think there were 3 orphanages just in Pomona -Crystal Run Village, Woodycrest/Happy Village and 5 Points ? I did not research all the orphanages because I am saving that story for another conversation.

There are many more chapters of this story which deserve to be told, but in the interest of brevity, I offer one of my most favorite to close. It is the Loeb House Charity[NOT-FOR-PROFIT]. headquartered in Pearl River.

The Charity was created by five gentlemen involved in the County Government's Human Care services. The goal, mission, purpose were to provide housing for young persons being charged by RPC. This is its record.

Loeb House, Inc. Established in 1982

Davis House: 14-Beds

Lukens House: 12-Beds

Monsignor James Cox Apts.: 30-Beds

Keahon House: 12-Beds

Supportive Housing: 63-Beds

Take Five Respite Program: 2-Beds

Joseph’s Home, Inc. Established in 1997 [named after my Brother]

Adult Home: 86 Beds opened in 1995

Missing In America (MIA): 26-Beds opened in 1997

Maggie Conway House: 20-Bed opened in 1997

Fred Hecht Drive: 24 Units opened in 2002

Rockland Homes For Heroes, Inc. Established in 2009 also a Not-For-Profit Charity

Rockland Homes for heroes opened 8-Beds in 2013

Rockland Homes For Heroes will open 14 beds in this July

The "Rockland Homes For Heroes" builds and operates permanent affordable supportive homes. You can learn more by visiting www.rocklandhomesforheroes.org. You can even make a donation to help out.