Career Resources Corporation CEO Bradley Howell, far right, during an earlier appearance with Rep. Diana DiZoglio and Veterans Northeast Outreach Center Executive Director John Ratka, says his company will merge with Fidelity House of Lawrence by the beginning of 2019. (WHAV News file photograph.)
A Haverhill non-profit tasked with helping disabled residents find careers and live independently is merging with a similar organization in Lawrence.
Career Resources Corporation, with offices at 22 Parkridge Road and in downtown Haverhill, is set to merge with Fidelity House in Lawrence at the start of next year. In an email to employees, Career Resources CEO Bradley Howell said the combined organization will have 500 employees, but there may be layoffs due to duplicate positions.
“Human resources will work with any affected employees to explore opportunities within the new entity and determine if there is an appropriate match,” he wrote.
The merger takes place Jan. 1 under the new name of “Fidelity House CRC.” Howell went on to say CRC is adopting Fidelity House’s health insurance provider and payroll system. Justifying the merger, Howell said “being a larger organization will qualify us for funding opportunities that were previously out of reach. Being larger also gets us quantity discounts and better rates on things like insurance.” He also listed having a more comprehensive number of services and positions as more reasons for the merger.
Multiple calls made to CRC and Fidelity House went unanswered.
This merger continues a trend of Haverhill-based nonprofits merging with groups outside of the city. Back in 1995, Home Health VNA joined with VNA Home Care. United Way of Merrimack Valley, originally located in Ward Hill, merged with United Way of Massachusetts Bay of Boston back in 2006. Around the same time, the Haverhill YMCA, 51 Winter St., merged into the YMCA of the North Shore in Beverly. The YWCA of Greater Lawrence assumed control of the Haverhill YWCA several years ago and last year changed its name to YWCA Northeastern Massachusetts.