What is Erie Doing to Address Homelessness?

I stumbled upon author Bent Greve's book, "Poverty," in the Notre Dame University bookstore recently. A class textbook for college students piqued my interest as Erie County continues to witness escalating numbers of residents living in poverty, resulting in sharp increases in homelessness, domestic violence and opioid overdoses.

New statewide data shows Erie County had the highest rate of drug overdoses among Pennsylvania's 67 counties in 2022 and 2023, with 184 accidental overdoses per capita in 2023.

What causes poverty? According to Greve, there are several reasons:

• individual factors: lack of effort, motivation, and money mismanagement;

• structural factors: poor education and insufficient opportunities; and

• uncontrollable factors: fate and bad luck.

According to Greve, those living in poverty face the following obstacles:

• inequality and limited redistribution;

• ineffective education;

• restricted access to health care; and

• violence and conflict.

All these elements are contributing factors to our housing crisis as well. One cannot simply place a struggling individual with mental health concerns into community living with limited resources.

The good news locally is that Erie County is beginning to move the needle forward. When visualizing the campus of the Mercy Center several years ago, many factors were taken into consideration. We went to the individuals who know best — our families, current residents and graduates of the Mercy Center. It is no surprise that they mentioned transportation and child care as additional barriers they face. Other factors play a critical role in whether these individuals can thrive on their own. These include access to direct client care services, education, health care, behavioral health services, food, career preparation and fitness. Our residents and graduates agree these supportive services are instrumental in creating a hopeful future. Our goal at the Mercy Center is to create a community of hope, not angst.

In 2023, the Mercy Anchor Community Center opened its doors in the former Holy Rosary School in Erie. MACC is a one-stop shop which includes many of the amenities mentioned above plus affordable housing. We collaborated with service providers to embrace families by offering permanent supportive housing in this building. These partnerships in Erie are essential.

Our campus life is full and thriving 18 months later. GECAC provides GED and digital literacy learning. Dress for Success Erie is outfitting women for their future careers by giving them clothing, resume-building skills and self-esteem. White Pine Center for Healing works with individuals and their families with eating disorders. Sarah A. Reed provides therapeutic programming for children. Our Second Harvest Satellite Food Panty regularly feeds over 500 individuals and the Mercy Center partners with Wegmans and Aldi for both fresh produce and non-perishable items. Erie Family Center offers parenting classes, and its Diaper Depot program offers free diapers at MACC twice a month. Our newest partner AHN Saint Vincent will soon offer behavioral health services, pop-up primary care and eventually drug and alcohol counseling. These partnerships are on-site, free and available to both our families and neighbors.

Dignified housing is a universal right, and the housing providers in Erie County are to be applauded for working diligently to create a city that's a sanctuary of peace. What is Erie doing about homelessness? We are uniting with one goal. Just look at the paradigm of salvation housing can bring! I marvel at the work of the Erie County Redevelopment Authority; East Side Renaissance; BUILD — a nonprofit community development corporation of the Hamot Health Foundation; Sisters of Saint Joseph; and the United Way of Erie County's Community School model which is identifying Erie's homeless youth. Together, these groups are laser-focused on enhancing housing and related opportunities for Erie's marginalized members.

It takes an army to create safe, affordable and dignified housing for all. Erie continues to grow in nearly every part of the county, and the silent cries of our homeless friends are being heard. Together, we are becoming stronger and better for it.

There is no perfect solution. By building a campus of services our vision is to continue to keep families safe from abuse and abusers — an island of hope, peace and tranquility.

What is next for the Mercy Center for Women? The former Holy Rosary rectory is located on the corner of East 27th Street and East Avenue. Our goal is to expand our campus life to include the rectory and offer transitional living opportunities there for prison reentry women. Prison reentry is not new to the Mercy Center for Women as we currently house three women who came to us directly from prison.

The beautiful letters we received weekly from women incarcerated at the State Correctional Institutes in Cambridge Springs and Muncy are plentiful. These women are seeking a second chance without judgement. In summer 2025, they will get that when we open doors to our newest program in the former rectory. Our vision is to house at least 12 women there who will have complete access to all services provided at both the Mercy Center and Mercy Anchor Community Center.

In closing, I suggest reading "Rough Sleepers" by Tracy Kidder. This book is a true story about how the city of Boston has tackled homelessness head-on instead of turning its back on it. Michael Frada, a homeless U.S. Army veteran quoted in the book shares, "If we should only meet for a moment on my life's journey, smile at me, talk to me, or simply be still. And know that I am."

Jennie Hagerty is the executive director of the Mercy Center for Women, 1039 E. 27th St., Erie.

More:Jennie Hagerty: How can Erie better help the homeless? Let's ask them