East Side Neighborhood Services Inc. (ESNS), a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing social services to the Northeast Minneapolis community, has undergone a long-anticipated merger.
Access/Ability Inc., a long-time Northeast-based provider of services “for people with barriers to employment and community inclusion,” according to its website, has acquired ESNS – and all of its assets and liabilities – as of the beginning of June. The merger was first announced in April. Both organizations assist individuals with limited financial means.
The united organization will be known as Access/Ability, Inc. (AAI).
Both organizations have long histories of helping people. ESNS is a descendant of the Northeast Neighborhood House, 1929 2nd St. NE, founded in 1915. It was one of four neighborhood houses in the city.
The Northeast Neighborhood House moved into its large, permanent home in 1919. A gymnasium was added in 1927. It later merged with the Margaret Barry House to form ESNS. A new building was constructed 25 years ago at 1700 Second St. NE.
Access/Ability was founded in 1948. It grew out of an organization designed to help children with cerebral palsy. As the children became adults, Access/Ability was formed to assist with their changing needs. It now hosts a variety of programs.
The united organization will retain both the ESNS building and the AAI’s headquarters,at 360 Hoover St. NE.
The organization will run programs out of both locations.
East Side Neighborhood Services originally served as a settlement house, but transitioned to social services. Its headquarters, pictured above, was constructed in 2001. (Provided)
Changes at ESNS
ESNS has been in financial straits for several years. In 2023, the organization spent $800,000 more than it collected in revenue — mainly from donations. At the time, its total annual budget was approximately $8 million. The loss of funding from United Way, a Twin Cities nonprofit, was a key factor in the financial woes.
In late 2025, ESNS hired a restructuring firm, Cordes & Company, to figure out a way forward. Thomas Plumb, who has Northeast ties, became the temporary executive officer of ESNS. He indicated early on that a merger was likely, and Cordes set out to find a suitable partner — one that would continue the work of ESNS while putting the nonprofit back on a solid financial footing.
All existing ESNS and AAI programs will continue operating without disruption while the new organization looks at integration and expansion. AAI has 65 employees; ESNS has roughly 30.
AnneMarie Klimek, the president and CEO of AAI, said the organization is working its way through how to share combined responsibilities.
“We also lost the United Way funding, but for the past 10 years we’ve been very aggressive in developing other revenue streams,” Klimek said. “We had to be careful not to have all our eggs in just a couple of baskets.”
AAI survives through the ability to get grants and other public funding, donors, business services and more. The nonprofit has a custom apparel printing operation, and material recycling program among other ventures. The programs employ people and also provide a source of revenue for the organization.
The organization’s future
Klimek praised the work that ESNS has done, and noted that the food program, available in 53 high rises in the area, has a sizable impact on the community.
“We’re very excited about this opportunity to share the same values of community, innovation and inclusion, have the same supporters and community connections and serve the same community,” Klimek said.
In addition to those services, ESNS operates Camp Bovey, a childen’s camp in Wisconsin. The camp has come up at public meetings about the merger as a point of some contention. It closed in 2025 according to ESNS’ website.
Klimek said she has visited the camp, and the plans right now are to reopen it in the spring of 2027.
According to Klimek, the camp has had a generational impact on Northeast, adding that it will be to have the camp open again to a new generation.
AAI representatives said the ESNS building will continue as a “community asset,” with services such as the Menlo Park Academy, food programs and Vital Living, a program aimed at helping older adults. AAI will move its enrichment programs, such as creative and culinary art classes, fitness classes and similar programs, to the former ESNS building.
AAI’s other programs, such as its employment program, a major focus of the nonprofit, will remain in the existing building on Hoover Street.
The organizations’ two boards will be combined.
Klimek said the merger process hasn’t been entirely smooth, but the result should be greatly beneficial to Northeast. “The community has been great. We realize we have to rebuild some of that trust, and we will. I think there’s just been a great sigh of relief that the ESNS work will carry on,” she said.
“We are focused on blending our programs and people and growing together to serve the community in a greater way.”