WEAR program awarded $100,000 grant

The Erie Community Foundation's Erie Women's Fund made a major announcement July 15 at its summer gathering. The Mercy Center for Women was recognized as the $100,000 grant recipient for its Empowered Achieve Results (WEAR) program which was created to break down the barriers of low-income women in Erie, so that they can obtain family-sustaining wages through education and job readiness skills.

The program is a partnership among the Mercy Center, Erie County Community College and ExpERIEnce Children's Museum that will be administered at the Mercy Anchor Community Center expected to open later this year. The new center will include affordable housing for low-income residents, a food pantry, technology center, thrift store, workforce readiness preparation and GED classes. Partnerships with various service providers will also allow easy access to community-based programming to address children's and adults' physical and psychological needs.

The WEAR program was the only grant recipient of the major grant and was chosen from more than 30 nominated projects.