NEW: Major Nonprofits Announce Merger
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Two of Rhode Island’s most notable nonprofits – Dorcas Place Adult and Family Learning Center and the International Institute Rhode Island – today announced plans to combine their organizations by the end of the year. The new organization will be known as Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island.
The merger will bring together one of the state’s best-regarded adult education and workforce development programs: Dorcas Place, which for 31 years has served low-income adults to realize their full potential through literacy, collaboration, advocacy and community involvement; and the International Institute, with a 91-year history of serving the myriad needs of immigrants and refugees in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.
Neil Steinberg, president and CEO of The Rhode Island Foundation, which hosted the press conference announcing the merger plan, said, “We congratulate the boards and staffs of Dorcas Place and the International Institute and applaud this development as one that further strengthens these two already sound organizations to benefit Rhode Island.” He added that the Foundation and United Way of Rhode Island, two of the state’s principal non-profit funders, have been aware of this development almost from the start.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTAnthony Maione, United Way president and CEO added, “These are two organizations that have long been successful in their missions while also operating in a financially sound manner. Their merger brings together two complementary organizations that serve students and clients with similar backgrounds and needs. This merger can provide the blueprint for other non-profits who seek to merge in the future.”
International Institute Board Chairman Charles D. Champagne and his Dorcas Place counterpart, Sean S. Welch, agreed that each organization’s board of directors have worked hard to bring the merger plans to this point. “We have both done our homework,” IIRI’s Champagne said. “The level of due diligence gives us all confidence that this merger is the best thing for our organizations and, most importantly, for the populations we serve.”
Officials of both organizations said that there is little duplication of staff functions in the two non-profits. For that reason, they said, there will be no layoffs as a result of the merger. Located barely one mile apart on Elmwood Avenue in the city’s south end, they said that both buildings will be used in a “two campus” arrangement once the merger has been finalized.
Carol Holmquist, Dorcas Place president and CEO, said the first goal of the new organization will be to increase the number of students and clients that they serve. “The demand is there,” she said. “Both organizations have long had waiting lists of those who seek our services. The merger will enable us to serve more people.”
William Shuey, longtime IIRI executive director who has announced plans to retire, said, “It has long been the mission of IIRI to provide innovative and high quality programs that enable immigrants and refugees to become self-reliant, contributing members of our community. This merger will result in an organization that is significantly enhanced and more capable of having a positive impact on the well-being of our community.”
Holmquist will become the first top executive of Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island.
