Help Merrick House put Moms First

Help Merrick House put Moms First

Nov 18, 2021

It was mid-afternoon on a Wednesday when a call came in to Merrick House’s MomsFirst Community Health Worker. A pregnant Mom was struggling for breath. She had been pregnant before, but this time felt that something was just not right. As too often happens to women of color, her doctor had been dismissive of her symptoms, so she decided to drive herself to the hospital. After her car breaks down on the way, the Merrick House Community Health Worker sets out to help her get there and ensure she gets the care she needs. The Mom is doing much better, and we are now in the process of connecting her to a new doctor and doula to raise her level of care.

You may know Merrick House for its outstanding early childhood education, youth development or GED certification programs. What you might not know is that we serve close to 200 pregnant mothers per year with our MomsFirst program. Community Health Workers are here in response to a crisis in which the infant mortality rate in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County has been among the highest in the state, and almost double the national rate.

The contributing factors to infant mortality are complex, but we know that issues such as poverty, inadequate housing, and lack of quality education have an adverse effect on health outcomes. Our program addresses these issues by helping Moms access anything that they need, from housing assistance, to finding a job, to parenting classes, to providing essentials for baby like diapers and pack and play cribs via home visiting.

At Merrick House, we take a whole child, whole family approach – from before birth, through the important early childhood years, after-school programs, and high school diploma equivalency. Your year-end gift ensures that the whole family, especially the kids, are able to overcome some of the barriers to success.

This year, we are experiencing a budget cut which has created a need to raise $25,000 in year-end giving to meet our immediate needs and ensure that Merrick House can be a vibrant Cleveland neighborhood center where everyone from the curious child to the committed adult is enriched through active, lifelong learning. As the new Executive Director, I look forward to meeting you, and hope that you can step up to help us reach our goal by making a meaningful contribution to Merrick House this year at https://www.merrickhouse.org/donate.

With many thanks for your consideration and support,

Harriet Hadley

Executive Director

← Go Back

Recent Posts

OUR THRIVING NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER IN CLEVELAND SERVES PEOPLE IN THE HISTORIC TREMONT AREA AND BEYOND

The Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland is rich in history, culture, and tradition. Merrick House is an integral part of this diverse and resilient community, welcoming people to our neighborhood center and empowering them to get ahead and reach success through our on-site and outreach programs.

Originally built as a settlement house in the early 1900s, Merrick House honors its legacy to create an interconnected community of support. From infant child care, preschool, and youth mentoring to adult education and recreation, we are continually reshaping our programs and services to meet the needs of residents in the Tremont, Clark-Fulton, Stockyards, and Brooklyn Centre neighborhoods. With the recent addition of our “MomsFirst” program, we are able to provide health education and support to pregnant women with the ultimate goal of helping them have a healthy baby in a county that ranks among the nation’s highest for infant mortality rates.

Our inclusive and adaptable approach over the years has helped to stabilize families, educate children, create leaders, and provide safe and healthy activities. We are proud to be a MyCom partner, a network of people in Greater Cleveland who believe youth development is the responsibility of all sectors of society. By engaging our youth, connecting them with caring and committed adults, and providing a variety of “out of school time” activities, we are helping them reach their full potential and become good citizens.

Wherever possible, Merrick House advocates for fairness and equality and works with residents to give them a stronger voice on various issues they are facing. We are actively creating change and making a positive impact in our neighborhoods.

Merrick House is committed to Lifting Lives and Strengthening Communities.

Have a question about Merrick House? We’d love to hear from you. Give us a call at 216.771.5077

Our Vision

Merrick House is a vibrant, inviting, and resilient neighborhood center that transforms lives and cultivates community.

Our Mission

Merrick House is a thriving neighborhood center that encourages and educates to empower people in Tremont and its surrounding areas.

Our Values

Tradition
We honor our nearly century-old legacy in the settlement movement, carrying forth the goal of creating interconnected communities.

Equity
We advance opportunity for those without access to resources, helping empower them to get ahead and achieve success.

Inclusiveness
We pride ourselves on welcoming people to our community destination.

Partnership
We believe building a better community evolves from our collaboration with other organizations that share our mission.

Learning
We know that acquiring knowledge and skills throughout life is critical to realizing personal attainment and offer programs that reflect this tenet.