AccessAbility

What AccessAbility does

AccessAbility, Inc. is a 501(c)-style nonprofit founded in 1948 and headquartered at 360 Hoover Street NE in Minneapolis, serving the Twin Cities Metro Area. Its mission is to create opportunities for self-sufficiency for people with barriers to employment and community inclusion — primarily adults with developmental, intellectual, physical, or severe mental-health disabilities, plus individuals facing homelessness, justice-system involvement, limited work history, or underemployment. The organization delivers an integrated service stack: Day Support Services (six instructional tracks across gardening, culinary arts, sports/fitness, creative arts, performing arts, and community outings), Pre-Vocational Services with paid work opportunities, CARF-accredited Extended Employment with job development, placement, and long-term follow-up, and Project Connect (a rapid 30-day job-readiness pathway partnered with Fischer ReEntry Consulting LLC and funded through Minnesota DEED grants). Funding is accepted from medical assistance, Medicaid waiver, county contracts, private pay, and donations.

On the revenue-generating side, AccessAbility operates business services — production, assembly, labeling, kitting, fulfillment, and custom printing using UV, laser, sublimation, DTG, screen-print, laser-cutting, and heat-press technologies — supplied to B2B customers via direct sales, with Amy Christopherson as the named contact. Its Works of Heart social enterprise manufactures handcrafted gift and home-decor products (4,312+ units sold), sold via its own e-commerce site and through corporate-gift channels, with 100% of profits reinvested into programming. A Bumblebee Coffee Co. production line operates from the same facility.

Commercially and structurally, the organization pursues a hybrid go-to-market: sales-led B2B outreach for production services, community-led acquisition for program participants through partnerships with educators, local businesses, government agencies (Minnesota DEED, county funders), and SourceAmerica, plus donor/grant development including foundation funding (Otto Bremer Trust, Groves Foundation, Target Foundation, Schulze Foundation, Ameriprise, F.R. Bigelow, CenterPoint Energy, St. Paul Foundation, Kahr Foundation, Graco). In June 2026, AccessAbility acquired East Side Neighborhood Services (ESNS), absorbing its programs — including food security serving 7,000+ Hennepin County households, Menlo Park Academy (contract alternative high school with Minneapolis Public Schools), and Vital Living for older adults and caregivers — along with a second site at 1700 NE 2nd Street. Leadership comprises President/CEO AnneMarie Klimek (since June 2024), COO Amy Christopherson (promoted early 2025), CFO Samantha Olson, Sr. Director Jacki Gale (34+ years tenure), and CAO Kim Ferencik (post-acquisition).

Name

AccessAbility

Legal name

AccessAbility, Inc.

Website

https://accessability.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AccessAbility is a Minneapolis-based nonprofit founded in 1948 that delivers integrated vocational, day-support, and employment services to adults with disabilities and other barriers, while operating a social-enterprise production and printing business (Works of Heart) serving Twin Cities companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability and Vocational Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Support Activities for Printing (32312)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Accessibility, Accommodations & Assistive Services (EDALAFAN)

Keywords

• Disability employment services
• Vocational rehabilitation programs
• Contract assembly and kitting
• Custom printing services
• Social enterprise products

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Business Services Revenue: Revenue generated from production, assembly, printing, and fulfillment services provided to business customers. Services include assembly, labeling, kitting, inspection, quality assurance, fulfillment, and custom printing using UV, laser, sublimation, and DTG technologies.
2. Works of Heart Social Enterprise: Handcrafted gift products manufactured by people with disabilities. 100% of profits go back into providing paid work opportunities and programming. Products include frame building, wood cutting, laser cutting, painting, and custom corporate gifts.
3. Government Funding: Funding accepted from medical assistance, Medicaid waiver, and county funding for day support and employment services programs serving individuals with disabilities.
4. Private Pay Services: Individuals and families can pay privately for programs and services not covered by government funding sources.
5. Donations and Fundraising: Donor-supported organization that receives contributions to support programs and operations. Annual fundraising events include 5K fundraiser and sponsorship opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AccessAbility delivers day support, pre-vocational training, extended employment, and rapid job-readiness (Project Connect) services to individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment in the Twin Cities. The organization also runs contract production, assembly, kitting, fulfillment, and custom printing services for business customers, and operates a Works of Heart social enterprise that sells handcrafted gifts with all profits reinvested into paid work opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Works of Heart: AccessAbility's social enterprise that provides paid work experience through the production of handcrafted gifts and home décor. Products are distributed by world-class sales representatives. 100% of profits go back into providing paid work opportunities and programming for individuals with disabilities and barriers to employment.

Products and services

• Day Support Services Structured day program for adults with disabilities offering classes and enrichment activities across gardening, culinary arts, sports and fitness, creative arts, performing arts, and community outings. Funded through medical assistance, Medicaid waiver, county funding, and private pay.
• Pre-Vocational Services Paid work-readiness program providing supervised work experience in assembly, packaging, fulfillment, and mailing for individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment, designed to prepare them for competitive employment.
• Extended Employment Services CARF-accredited job development, placement, coaching, and long-term follow-along employment services for individuals with disabilities, including severe mental health conditions, physical disabilities, or significant barriers in communication, self-care, interpersonal relationships, work tolerance, self-direction, work skills, and mobility.
• Project Connect Rapid job-readiness program offering classes, paid work experience, and certifications that enable participants to build job skills in 30 days, with training in forklift, scissor lift, OSHA, CDL, CNC, welding, and plumbing; serves individuals facing barriers including justice system involvement and limited work history.
• Production & Assembly Services B2B contract production, assembly, labeling, kitting, inspection, quality assurance, fulfillment, and mailing services for companies seeking to lower production costs and scale workforce to meet demand.
• Printing Services Custom printing services using UV, laser, sublimation, DTG, and screen printing technologies to produce awards, plaques, coasters, mugs, custom apparel, and promotional products for business customers.
• Works of Heart Social Enterprise Social-enterprise product line of handcrafted gifts and home décor (Christmas ornaments, stick plaques, tea towels, aprons, wall art, porch boards, wind spinners, photo plaques, mugs) produced by people with disabilities through four work tracks; 100% of profits fund paid work opportunities and programming, distributed globally via www.works-of-heart.org and corporate gift channels.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 7,000 Hennepin County households served through food programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fischer ReEntry Consulting LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject Connect partners with Fischer ReEntry Consulting LLC to provide classes and job readiness training for individuals facing barriers to employment including justice system involvement and limited work history.
• SourceAmericacoreOthersAffiliation partner providing funding and support for employment services for people with disabilities. Listed as an affiliate on AccessAbility's partners page.
• AbleNetminorStrategic or Co-development Partner3-Year Assistive Technology Partnership announced for assistive technology services and support.
• Marino's DeliminorOthersCatering partner for Valentine's Dinner event.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cibi Artifakt: Vocational Rehabilitation agency in Minnesota providing similar day and employment services, focusing on community-based employment for individuals with disabilities in the Twin Cities.
• Merrick, Inc. Minnesota nonprofit providing vocational training, employment services, and contract packaging/assembly for people with disabilities. Direct functional peer combining disability employment with B2B production services.
• Lifeworks Services: Minnesota-based nonprofit providing vocational services, day programs, and employment support for people with disabilities. Direct competitive peer in the Twin Cities service area with similar programs.
• Opportunity Partners: Minnesota-based nonprofit providing employment services, day programs, and meaningful work opportunities for people with disabilities. Operates in the same Twin Cities market with overlapping vocational, day support, and business services lines.
• RISE (Minnesota): Minnesota-based nonprofit providing employment services, mental health support, and community-based services for people with disabilities or mental illness. Comparable vocational rehabilitation focus.

Emerging players

• MVNA / VANTEC (Vocational Alternatives & Training for Employment Concepts): Community rehabilitation provider offering vocational training and supported employment in the Twin Cities. Smaller scope but overlapping mission and service lines with AccessAbility's extended employment program.
• Best Buddies Minnesota: Disability services nonprofit with employment programming and community inclusion focus. Comparable mission in supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in workforce integration.

Broad incumbents

• SourceAmerica: National AbilityOne-style network that creates employment opportunities for people with disabilities through government contracts. AccessAbility is a SourceAmerica-affiliate partner, making it a direct operational analog at a larger national scale.
• Goodwill Industries of the Greater Twin Cities: Operates employment training, placement programs, and revenue-generating business services (retail, printing, packaging) for people with barriers to employment. Direct analog: combines vocational services with B2B production/assembly work.
• Easterseals Minnesota: National Easterseals affiliate serving Minnesota with disability services including employment support, day programs, and community living services. Highly comparable mission and service mix to AccessAbility.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AccessAbilityIncorporated
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/accessabilityinc
• Instagraminstagram.com/aai_1948
• Xx.com/accessability_1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AccessAbility