CLEVELAND–For three-and-a-half years, a visit to Merrick House has been a part of David Zagrodnik’s daily routine.
Soon, the place where he plays cards and eats fruit salad will shut its doors.
The West Merrick House, 3167 Fulton Road, plans to close its doors in April due to budget cuts.
“I’m sorry to see it go,” Zagrodnik said. “A lot of people, including me, are going to be out of the window.
It’s going to be gone. They take us on shopping trips, which they are going to cut out. That’s going to leave me out in the cold too.”
For 10 years, this Merrick House has provided meals, housing assistance and social activities for seniors.
“I love it. I love coming out here and bowling,” he said, pointing to a Wii. Zagrodnik had the top score for the day, edging past 220 on the board.
Zagrodnik is one of 120 seniors the west center assists every day.
“Now, I have no one to take me shopping,” he said. “A lot of people down here, they do come here for the meal and it probably is their only meal for the day. With me, as far as the meals go, I can take it either way. I can go home and cook. If you can’t cook, then you’ve got to get married.”
Though the West Merrick House location will shut down, the services will continue for seniors at a new facility, said executive director Kathy Marsh.
“It’s tough,” she said. “Nobody likes change, however, we feel that by making these changes now, it ensures that we have these programmings long into the future.”
In recent years, Merrick has been using reserve funds to cover shortfalls in its $2.3 million dollar budget.
Most of the group’s funding comes from the Cuyahoga County Department of Senior and Adult Services, the Western Reserve Area Agency and the United Way.
“The public funding is decreasing. As you can see what is going on with the state of Ohio, there is a $12 billion shortfall. We have to figure out ways to do things better. We have to do more with less.”
However, Marsh said the senior services will likely move to the West Side Community Center, on 93rd Street and Lorain Avenue. The move will save Merrick House up to $150,000 a year. Many of the other Merrick House services will remain at the Fulton Road location.
Marsh said she realizes some seniors may be skeptics about the move, but the organization is trying to provide long-term results. Existing clients will get rides to the new location.
The new facility is only a few years old, located on the first floor of the building and will provide the seniors with new activities, she said.
“The senior program gives them an opportunity to meet with other people, eat meals, hot meals,” Marsh said. “The initial reaction is quite shocking to some folks, but once they see the location, the activities, they will become believers. It will be best for everyone concerned.”
Merrick House has provided services to the Cleveland community since 1919.
To learn more about this organization, click here.