Merrick
Merrick, Inc. is a Saint Paul, Minnesota-based nonprofit, founded in 1964, that provides vocational, life enrichment, individualized home support, and business-solutions services to over 400 adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities in the Northeastern Twin Cities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1964
- HeadquartersSaint Paul, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Merrick does
Merrick, Inc. is a Saint Paul, Minnesota-based nonprofit organization founded in 1964 that provides day training, employment, life enrichment, and individualized home support services to adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) in the Northeastern Twin Cities area. The organization is licensed for 375 clients and per its website serves over 400 adults with disabilities, operating from two main Vadnais Heights facilities (3210 Labore Road for Work Services and 1239 Willow Lake Boulevard for Life Enrichment, including the new Memory Care Program opened in early 2025). Its service mix spans prevocational training, supported employment services, center-based work crews, plastic recycling, document destruction, community integration programming, and Individualized Home Support (PSS/IHS), plus specialized offerings such as Memory Care (up to 10 clients), Alternative Services (up to 32 clients at 1:4 staffing), and the award-winning Ambassadors for Respect (A4R) anti-bullying school program delivered by client self-advocates.
Merrick's revenue model is structured as a hybrid of Medicaid waiver-funded service billing (Day Training and Habilitation / DT&H), 14(c) special-minimum-wage center-based work, county contracts, and donations and charitable gambling. The Business Solutions division generates revenue by placing clients into direct hires at local businesses, deploying work crews, fulfilling center-based subcontracts (assembly, packaging), and recycling plastic. Add-on fundraising streams include the Duluth Getaway Raffle, Plant Sales, Bowl-A-Thon, Golf Scramble, the recurring Navigator email newsletter, and a licensed charitable gambling operation. Pricing is not publicly disclosed: services are reimbursed through negotiated Medicaid waiver plans and county case-management referrals, with the 14(c) certificate allowing productivity-based wage payment that expands the addressable client population to more severely disabled adults.
Operationally, Merrick is a community-led, referral-driven organization: clients enter through Ramsey County and adjacent county case managers, while business customers access workforce solutions via direct outreach. Distribution relies on physical presence in Vadnais Heights, transportation partnership with Newtrax, embedded relationships with local employers (Kowalski's, Panda Express, Mariner Middle School, 21 Roots Farm), and a trained Direct Support Professional workforce. The organization underwent a planned leadership transition in 2025, with Mike Greenbaum assuming the Executive Director role on July 1, 2025 after the retirement of John Wayne Barker, who led the nonprofit for 27 years.
Merrick firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Merrick
- Legal name
- Merrick, Inc.
- Website
- https://merrickinc.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1964
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Merrick, Inc. is a Saint Paul, Minnesota-based nonprofit, founded in 1964, that provides vocational, life enrichment, individualized home support, and business-solutions services to over 400 adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities in the Northeastern Twin Cities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Merrick industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Disability and Human Services
- NAICS
- Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431)
- SIC
- Services-Help Supply Services (7363)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Interagency Coordination & Case Management (VR, DD, Medicaid Waivers) (EDAKANAM)
Keywords
Where Merrick is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint Paul
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Merrick business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
Revenue model
- Government Funding (Medicaid Waivers): Merrick receives funding through Medicaid waiver programs for disability services, including Day Training and Habilitation (DT&H) services. Clients are referred through county case managers.
- Client Wages (14(c) Special Minimum Wage): Clients earn wages through center-based work and community employment. Merrick operates under a 14(c) certificate allowing special minimum wage based on individual productivity. In 2019, more than 200 clients earned over $750,000 through this program.
- Donations and Charitable Giving: Merrick relies on charitable donations from supporters to fund life enrichment and employment programs. The organization accepts donations through its website and hosts fundraising events.
- Charitable Gambling: Merrick operates charitable gambling programs which contribute to funding organizational programs and services.
- Business Solutions Revenue: Revenue generated through business solutions services including direct hires, work crews, center-based contracts, and plastic recycling services provided to local businesses.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Merrick product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Merrick, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that provides vocational, prevocational, life enrichment, and individualized home support services to adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) in the Northeastern Twin Cities area of Minnesota. The organization also operates a Business Solutions division that supplies contracted work crews, direct hire placements, center-based production, and plastic recycling services to local businesses, while clients earn wages under a 14(c) special minimum wage certificate.
Product overview
Merrick, Inc. is a nonprofit service organization offering a comprehensive array of programs for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) in Minnesota. The organization operates a multi-service model centered on vocational and life enrichment services, including Prevocational Services, Employment Services, Life Enrichment Program, and Individualized Home Support (IHS) Services. Business Solutions division provides workforce solutions through Direct Hires, Work Crews, Center-Based Contracts, and Plastic Recycling services. Specialized offerings include Memory Care Program and Alternative Services for clients with specific needs. The organization also conducts fundraising through events including Golf Scramble, Bowl-A-Thon, Plant Sales, and raffles, with a charitable gambling program and Navigator e-newsletter for community engagement.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Prevocational Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 200 clients earned over $750,000 in wages through center-based work (2019)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Merrick
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Merrick technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Merrick partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Partners for Good (PFG)minorPartners for Good is a networking and professional development group for local non-profit leaders, co-founded by Merrick's Development and Communications Director. Merrick hosted a 'Lunch and Learn' event with Ramsey County.
- American Sign Language (ASL) TrainerminorMerrick partnered with an ASL Trainer in early 2025 to launch on-site sign language classes for all employees to improve communication with non-verbal and deaf clients.
- Upstream ArtscoreMerrick partners with Upstream Arts for 'The Art of Me' program, creating collaborative art performances featuring clients and teaching artists. Merrick holds the record for most collaborations (3 times) with Upstream Arts.
- Unified Work Academy (MDI)minorMerrick partners with Unified Work Academy's Career Skills training program. Clients graduate from Career Skills 1 and 2 courses, gaining employment-related life skills including teamwork, time management, and interpersonal skills.
- Royal Credit Union FoundationminorRoyal Credit Union Foundation provided generous funding for the installation of a ceramic kiln at Merrick's Willow Lake Boulevard Life Enrichment Program, enabling pottery and ceramic arts programming.
- PeaceMaker MinnesotacoreMerrick's Ambassadors for Respect (A4R) program is an award-winning program of PeaceMaker Minnesota. A4R provides anti-bullying presentations to elementary school students by Merrick self-advocates.
- NewtraxcoreNewtrax provides dependable transportation services for Merrick clients, including pass-through services and Lyft for riders across Minnesota. Newtrax won the 2020 VHEDC Community Partnership Award. Merrick's former ED Mike Greenbaum previously served as Executive Director of Newtrax before returning to lead Merrick.
- Ramsey CountycoreRamsey County partners with Merrick through county contracts and collaborations. County Manager Ling Becker spoke at a Merrick-hosted event about the symbiotic relationship between Ramsey County and local non-profits.
- Vadnais Heights Economic Development Corporation (VHEDC)coreVHEDC sponsors HR Connections networking group. Merrick's HR Manager serves as co-chair. VHEDC has awarded Merrick and its partners community partnership recognition.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Merrick competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Vinland Center: Minnesota nonprofit providing vocational services, brain-injury rehabilitation, and disability employment programming. Comparable service population and Minnesota footprint.
- Opportunity Partners: Minnesota-based nonprofit providing employment, vocational, and day services to people with disabilities, including 14(c) center-based work. Highly comparable service portfolio and geographic overlap in the Twin Cities metro.
- Hammer (formerly RESOURCE, Inc.): Twin Cities nonprofit providing employment and career services to people with disabilities and other barriers to work. Comparable direct-hire, work crew, and customized employment offerings.
- Rise, Inc. Minnesota nonprofit offering vocational rehabilitation, employment placement, and community-based services for people with disabilities. Operates a similar prevocational-to-competitive-employment pipeline.
- Living Well Disability Services: Twin Cities nonprofit serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through customized employment, life enrichment, and in-home support, mirroring Merrick's core service stack.
Broad incumbents
- AbilityOne Program: Federally established employment program for people with disabilities (including significant visual impairments) operating through nonprofit agencies. Adjacent employment-for-disabilities model with broader federal contracting orientation.
- SourceAmerica: National AbilityOne-designated nonprofit that operates a network of 14(c) community rehabilitation programs providing employment to people with disabilities. Closest national-scale peer for center-based work and AbilityOne contracting.
Others
- The Arc Minnesota: Minnesota advocacy and services organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Comparable mission and beneficiary population; functions more as an advocacy/community partner than direct service competitor.
- APSE (Association of People Supporting Employment First): National membership organization advancing Employment First policy and customized employment for people with disabilities. Relevant as the industry/trade association shaping the policy and funding environment Merrick operates in.
Regional players
- East Side Neighborhood Services: Twin Cities nonprofit offering a range of human services including disability support and workforce programs. Comparable community-based, multi-service nonprofit model serving overlapping populations in the metro.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Merrick social profiles
Digital presenceMerrick financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Merrick leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Merrick funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Merrick M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Merrick
What does Merrick do?
Merrick, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that provides vocational, prevocational, life enrichment, and individualized home support services to adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) in the Northeastern Twin Cities area of Minnesota. The organization also operates a Business Solutions division that supplies contracted work crews, direct hire placements, center-based production, and plastic recycling services to local businesses, while clients earn wages under a 14(c) special minimum wage certificate.
Is Merrick a public or private company?
Merrick is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Merrick founded?
Merrick was founded in 1964. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Merrick based?
Merrick is headquartered in Saint Paul, United States, in the North America region.
How does Merrick make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Government Funding (Medicaid Waivers) is the primary driver. The others are client Wages (14(c) Special Minimum Wage), donations and Charitable Giving, charitable Gambling and business Solutions Revenue.
Who are Merrick's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Vinland Center, Opportunity Partners, Hammer (formerly RESOURCE, Inc.), Rise, Inc. and Living Well Disability Services. Broad incumbents are AbilityOne Program and SourceAmerica. Others are The Arc Minnesota and APSE (Association of People Supporting Employment First). East Side Neighborhood Services is listed as a regional player.
Does Merrick have an API?
No public API is recorded for Merrick.
What industry is Merrick in?
Merrick's product category is Disability and Human Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAKANAM, Interagency Coordination & Case Management (VR, DD, Medicaid Waivers). Its NAICS code is 62431 and its SIC code is 7363.