In January, the 80-year-old Merrick House building in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood received around $150,000 in grant money, through the City of Cleveland, for needed repairs.
Opened in 1919, the organization was a beacon of light for immigrants forging their way from Europe to America in search of a more productive life. Merrick House gave them the tools needed to assimilate to a new culture. Today, Merrick has grown exponentially and now offers help for women during pregnancy and after-school programs for youths. It has occupied the land at Starkweather and W. 11th Street since its opening, according to the Cleveland Historical Society.
“Merrick House welcomed many settlers, including those from Puerto Rico and other locations,” said Harriet Hadley, executive director of Merrick House. “This once was a hub where social services were available for getting work and ensuring their children had a haven to stay while parents worked.”
Along with the city’s money, the organization receives contributions from philanthropic groups. The upgrades will be done in phases, starting with the restrooms that appear to have the original, century-old tile and fixtures.
According to Hadley, the goal is to make the bathrooms safe and comfortable for the pre-K children who attend classes there daily. In addition to having made numerous repairs in the past, it was the most logical place to start, she said. Two pre-K classrooms are upstairs and three classrooms are downstairs.
Merrick House is also offering services to pregnant women in Cleveland.
“MomsFirst, a program for pregnant women at Merrick, has proven to be a rewarding experience for young women who join,” Hadley said. “Merrick’s community health workers provide career coaching, case workers, and other assistance [to these expecting mothers]. Community health workers follow them through their pregnancy to ensure they have a healthy baby,” Hadley said during a facility tour.
According to the Cuyahoga County Child Fatality Review Board, infant mortality rates increased in 2023 from 2022. The increase included infant deaths, abuse, neglect deaths and homicides. The Child Mortality Rate in Cuyahoga County of 75.9 is 25% higher than the State of Ohio and 41% higher than the United States.
“We help them through the first 18 months after the baby is born. Expectant moms can join early in their pregnancy. We also supply diapers, cribs, and anything needed through other programming. Rides to doctor’s appointments are free. Currently, the capacity for the program is 180,” Hadley noted.
New to Merrick’s effort to help young parents is “Tap.” It’s a fatherhood initiative that allows dads and their pregnant partners to learn co-parenting. According to Hadley, often, the fathers are young and feel left out of the process. The program offers counseling and a fellowship program, where participants meet up to discuss issues that might be plaguing them.
Kerry McCormack, Cleveland Ward 3 councilman, invested part of the $511 million the city received from the Biden/Harris administration’s “American Rescue Plan,” into Merrick House.
“As a part of that funding, we also developed a smaller grant program to support local organizations that are doing excellent work in our community,” McCormack said. “I was able to nominate two from Ward 3. The first one was the Ohio City Farm. They work with refugee response, which takes refugees from other countries and gives them work training. They are building a new facility on the farm in Ohio City. Then, Merrick House, which fits the funding criteria for employment sustainability, they’re using it to enhance the facility, so it does not just go into a general bank account. I love the work Hadley’s doing over there. Merrick House has such a wonderful reputation in the community.”
The huge kitchen inside Merrick House has a commercial-size refrigerator. It is a favorite place for summer camp participants.
“We partner with three elementary schools in our ward to recruit children,” Hadley said. “Most of them don’t live in the area. But come here for after-school programs. Cooking classes are during summer camp. The enrollment for those classes fills up fast. As more funds come in, we will renovate this kitchen.”
Once an improvised community, Tremont is now sports a trendy vibe with chic restaurants, contemporary apartment dwellings, and an array of homes that date back to the early 20th century. The diverse neighborhood has been very supportive of Merrick’s mission.
“So, the community is a lot different now, and we love being here,” Hadley said. “We want to give back to them and make it relevant for our community.”
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