The House of Good Shepherd, a non-profit organization in Oneida County, celebrated their 150th anniversary this month.

“What we do and why we do it has not changed, the way we do it has changed,” Brian McKee said.

What You Need To Know

  • The House of Good Shepherd is celebrating their 150th anniversary

  • What started as a vision from the Episcopalian community to provide a home for children who struggle with behavioral problems, trauma history and neglect has grown into a sanctuary certified institution

  • Their CEO says it takes love and compassion to serve this group of kids

Back in February of 1872, members of the Trinity Episcopal Church came together to establish an asylum for children in Central New York. They called it the House of the Good Shepherd.

“We had our first house on Genesse Street,” McKee said. “We took our first youth to a 200-person orphanage that we had through the 1940s all the way up until we purchased this campus.”

Brian McKee has been the CEO for the past five years. The organization helps children in grades k-12 with behavioral problems, such as trauma history, emotional disturbances and other disabilities.

“We have found ways to help these kids that has not necessitated the need to come to a place like this,” McKee said.

In 1961, a school was established, now known at the Tilton School, to provide education to children in a one classroom, one teacher setting.

“The teachers really do a great job with our classrooms,” McKee said. “And fortunately we have donors and different other supporters to provide smart board technology so that we have the same stuff that the public school does here.”

In 1966, the organization established their first of five group homes in the community for adolescent teens. Then in 1972, they launched their foster care program.

“We want to build strong families, and we’ve always wanted to build strong families while we’re taking care of the kids in the meantime,” McKee said.

McKee says it takes love and compassion to serve this group of kids.

“What I need the community to know is that we are serving the most difficult to serve children, who come from the most difficult situations and we’re going to keep doing that as long as we’re around,” McKee said.