Gary Arnette
Our History
Arnette House, Inc. was formed after Gary Arnette died tragically as a result of a drug overdose in 1979.
His parents, Vernon and Sara, and the Arnette family took the initiative to ensure that the future children of North Central Florida would have somewhere to turn for help. Through contributions from friends and family to the Marion County Mental Health Association, a fund was established that would seed what was then called “The Arnette House Project.” The project found its focus with an election of a Board of Directors and the filing of Articles of Incorporation in 1981. In late March of 1982, the doors of the original Arnette House, Inc. were opened. The first facility was a small two bedroom house on NE 8th Avenue and was staffed overnight by Department of Children and Family volunteers. The house was funded strictly through local community donations and was limited to serving three youth at a time.
Today, Arnette House, Inc. is a 3 building complex on 4.8 acres in Northeast Ocala in Marion County that includes an emergency shelter, the Branan Counseling and Administration building, and the Vernon Arnette Educational Center which includes the SNAP House program. In 2009, two foster care Group Homes were added. Arnette House’s reach now also extends into Lake County to support its children through initiatives such as the Safe Place Program and an extensive Outreach and Prevention Program including non-residential counseling.
The first facility was a small two bedroom house on NE 8th Avenue
