MERRICK COMMUNITY SERVICES
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Mission Statement
Our mission is to improve the lives of the residents of the East Side of Saint Paul by empowering individuals, strengthening families, and promoting their independence. Merrick Community Services will meet the basic needs of our neighbors to ensure a healthier and more secure East Saint Paul community for all. Objective 1: Build on core strengths we own Objective 2: Reach and sustain financial solvency Objective 3: Increase community presence
About This Cause
Merrick Community Services offers a continuum of education, nutrition, and social service programs in the following five areas: Employment Services, Youth Services, Family Services, Nutrition Services (Food Shelves) and Senior Independence Programs. Programming is currently offered at six different locations in Saint Paul’s East Side: Employment Services, Family Case Management and administrative activities take place at the Merrick Community Center at 1669 Arcade Street. Youth Programming takes place at Duluth & Case Recreation Center, Wilder Recreation Center, Hayden Heights Recreation Center, and at the Arlington Hills Community Center. The Food Shelf and Senior Independence Program operate out of space in the Woodland Hills Church building at 1740 Van Dyke Street as well as different mobile sites throughout the year. Merrick served over 15,000 individuals in 2016 through five key departments: • Senior Independence Program – 947 individuals served through Merrick’s Meals on Wheels, Brown Bags Healthy Grocery Drop-off, Referral Services, and Senior Health and Well-Being Social Groups. • Employment Services – 1,875 individuals served through the East Side Job Bank, Environmental and Construction Workers Training Program, and Highway Heavy Occupations Training. • Family Services– 1,048 individuals served through Family Case Management, Parenting Education and Domestic Violence Support Groups for male and female victims. • Youth Services - After-school programs served 30-50 youth daily while the Summer Youth Explorer Program served 100 (unduplicated) youth from June – August. In addition, 1,950 children from low-income households received holiday gifts at the annual toy give-a-way. • Nutrition Services (Food Shelves) – Over 715,000 pounds of food was distributed to over 9,000 individuals through the Woodland Hills Food Shelf, as well as mobile food shelf locations. Though historically a ‘one-stop shop’ community center, currently Merrick’s services are offered in a variety of locations throughout Saint Paul’s East Side. In 2013, Merrick left its old community center on 715 Edgerton Street in Saint Paul due to a deteriorating building and prohibitive building rehab costs. Merrick Community Services is currently finalizing its Capital Campaign for a new community center which will serve as the centralized location for human services. Meanwhile, Merrick’s staff members are creatively connecting with people in need through six different locations and a ‘services without walls’ approach – to ensure its neighbors struggling with poverty are able to connect with its programs and develop self-sufficiency. This has resulted in increased connectivity to community-based groups, area schools and leaders, and has proven the value of partnerships and collaboration. This recent change of location has taught Merrick’s staff and leadership essential lessons about the value of the people and organizations surrounding its 108 year-old organization. Public agencies, community schools, local companies, neighborhood organizations, and community advocates have been pulled into Merrick’s services and have already helped to strengthen the effectiveness of its programs. Moving forward, Merrick intends to draw from these recent lessons in community connectivity in preparation of a new, centralized location.