Hard Work + Solid Ground = A Family’ s Success
The renovations include a secure front entry, increased and enhanced community spaces, and renovated areas for staff and volunteers.
“ We are also intentionally growing our services in our scattered site model in Washington County,” said Hunter. Scattered-site housing refers to affordable, low-density housing units spread throughout a community, rather than concentrated in one area.
Solid Ground almost doubled the number of people it served in 2024, from 841 individuals to 1,633. A large portion of the organization’ s funding went towards preventative services that kept families facing eviction in their homes and community, and children in their schools. Research indicates that proactive measures to prevent homelessness are significantly more cost-effective than addressing homelessness after it occurs.
Solid Ground welcomes inquiries for tours or conversations where they can share more about the families they serve, their programs, and their plans for growth. This is an exciting time to be a part of the Solid Ground Community!
Solid Ground East Metro Place 3521 Century Avenue North. White Bear Lake, MN 55110 Phone: 651-773-8401 Fax: 651-773-1492 www. solidground. org E-mail: info @ solidgroundmn. org
Volunteer E-mail address: volunteer @ solidgroundmn. org
Donor E-mail address: donate @ solidgroundmn. org
Office Hours: 8 a. m. to 4:30 p. m., Monday through Friday, and by appointment
Merrick, Inc.
Merrick, Inc., provides a full continuum of services for adults with significant Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities( I / DD), major medical conditions and challenging behaviors. At the nonprofit’ s 1239 Willow Lake Boulevard location, 135 adults receive life enrichment, memory care, positive support, and in-home services. At its 3210 Labore Road location, 300 additional adults receive onsite, crew, and direct hire employment services.
Local companies that provide onsite jobs for Merrick’ s clients include Par Aide, Design House Greetings, Park Tool, Ferlic Filter, and H. B. Fuller. Merrick, Inc., clients work in the community at Kowalski’ s, Cub Foods and Warner Stellian Appliance stores and at Hennepin Healthcare.
As 2025 was getting underway, renovations were being completed at the Willow Lake Boulevard location. Twenty-eight hundred square feet of space has been added to serve ten adults with I / DD in the early stages of memory loss. All other renovations are now complete, and clients are enjoying daily use of the studios for activities such as painting, pottery, sewing, music, sensory exploration, crafts, and games.
Several capital improvements are now also complete at the 3210 Labore Road building, restoring it to like-new condition.
In addition, the employee workforce has been stabilized. There are now 135 professionals employed at the two onsite programs, and 50 more at the organization’ s 29 charitable gambling sites.
For more information about Merrick, Inc., and upcoming events, go to MerrickInc. org
Merrick, Inc. Work Services Program 3210 Labore Road Vadnais Heights, MN 55110 Phone:( 651) 789-6200
Life Enrichment Program 1239 Willow Lake Boulevard, Suite 100 Vadnais Heights, MN 55110 Phone:( 651) 789-6206 www. merrickinc. org E-mail: Info @ MerrickInc. org
PAI
Another nonprofit serving people in the Northeast Metro with developmental disabilities is PAI. The organization currently serves about 250 people, assisting them with employment, learning and individual goal setting, and helping them achieve what they really want to do in life.
PAI Administrative Office 3700 Highway 61 N, Ste 200 White Bear Lake, MN 55110 651-407-7174 paimn @ paimn. org
PAI Commerce 1754 Commerce Court White Bear Lake, MN 55110 651-747-8740
PAI Linden 3595 Linden Ave White Bear Lake, MN 55110 651-777-5622
PAI Oakdale 6866 33rd St N, Suite 150 Oakdale, MN 55128 651-748-0373
PAI Parkway 4453 White Bear Parkway White Bear Lake, MN 55110 651-426-2484
Learn more about PAI at PAIMN. org
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