Glove House, Inc.

OUR MISSION

For more than five decades, Glove House, a 5013C not-for-profit organization, has provided community-based services giving hope and help through supporting youth and empowering families. Help us continue to serve our families and communities for decades to come.

                         Engaging Youth and Empowering Families.

This vision is something about which we are very passionate, and you will see it through the programs we offer and our tremendous staff.

OUR STORY

Glove House was founded in 1970 by Norman "Chuck" Jennings along with his wife, Nellie, and the community of Elmira. They recognized there were boys in the Elmira community who had dropped out of school, had no place to call home, had few life skills, and lacked a plan for a sustainable future. Over time, the communities we serve have grown and evolved as has how we serve them, now focusing on keeping youth in their homes providing wrap-around care through a variety of programs. Today Glove House serves approximately 450 youth and adults through person-centered approaches via foster care, preventive and crisis intervention services, health homes services, mental health services, independent living and school based programs in over 15 counties in Central NY, the Southern Tier, and the Finger Lakes.  A description of each program is provided below. 

HOW OUR NAME CAME TO BE

Chuck Jennings was a heavyweight professional boxer in the 1940s. After a successful boxing career, Mr. Jennings dedicated his life to making a difference in the lives of youth in the Elmira community.  Prior to founding Glove House, Mr. Jennings served on the board of many organizations working to improve the quality of life for youth.  In October of 1968 Mr. Jennings incorporated Glove House and began to raise funds to open the first group home.  On April 6, 1970 Mr. Jennings' dream became a reality when the doors opened to seven teenage boys.

The first group home, located at 510 W. Church Street, Elmira NY, is now referred to as Jennings Home. In June of 2023, the building was re-dedicated in honor of Chuck and Nellie Jennings with the help of their son, Charles and Charles' daughter, Margaret, as well as Elmira Mayor Mandell. The building serves as office space as well as community space for the local organizations and their events.

HOW FUNDS RAISED IMPACT OUR FAMILIES

One hundred percent of funds raised during FLXGives go toward those we serve. From our Thanksgiving meal delivery for our school based and preventative programs, the Kids Holiday Shoppe for ALL of our Glove House programs, special trips or activities for our Community Residence and Bright Futures youth, custom bags for foster care youth, helping to keep the power on or provide funds for food for ANY family in need though our Bucks for Families program and much MORE. The funds help our youth and families feel what everyone wants, normal. Help us provide this for our youth and families!

HOW WE HAVE EVOLVED

Fifty-three years after the doors of Jennings opened, we have evolved into much more than a non-profit which supports children in group homes.  Today we have multiple programs and services which provide a holistic approach to customize support which children and families in our communities need.  At present, we serve children and families in the following counties in New York State: Broome, Chemung, Erie, Livingston, Monroe, Onondaga, Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins and Yates.

GLOVE HOUSE PROGRAMS

Community Residence Program:  Provides residential services to youth between 12 and 18 years of age who have either been diagnosed with a mental illness, have substantial problems in social functioning, have problems in school due to serious emotional disturbance (SED), or relationship problems in the home.  This program is governed by the Office of Mental Health and is staffed by licensed social workers who help the youth with the individualized support and services they need. 

Foster Care Services:  The Foster Homes supervised by Glove House provide flexible, diverse, therapeutic, strength-based, trauma informed,individualized and family centered services which strengthen the family structure. Glove House is proactive to recruit and train families interested in becoming foster parents to meet the needs of youth in need of foster care placement. Glove House is regulated by New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), Office of Mental Hygiene (OMH), and the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ).

Therapeutic Foster Care and Respite Services:  The Therapeutic Foster Boarding Home Program (TFBH) offers a certified foster home program for the care and treatment of children who require intensive and specialized services which cannot be provided in traditional foster homes. Glove House staff, foster parents, families of origin and local community resources are utilized to form a treatment team for each child. We provide individualized and intensive services as part of this p…