Sacred Heart Project

The Mercy Center for Women is committed to creating safe, supportive spaces for individuals and families facing housing insecurity. Over the past several years, this vision has taken shape through transformative projects across our campus and the wider Erie community.

In 2020, the Mercy Center launched a major renovation of the former Holy Rosary School Building, resulting in the Mercy Anchor Community Center (MACC). Today, the MACC provides housing for 36 women, men, and children, along with extensive wraparound services supported by more than 20 community partners. Its satellite food pantry now serves over 1,000 neighbors each month.

In fall 2025, Brandy’s Corner, a renovated former rectory, opened its doors to welcome 12–15 women and their children. This warm, residential space expands our ability to support families as they rebuild stability and independence.

As Erie County continues to face rising poverty, domestic violence, addiction, and housing shortages, the need for safe, accessible housing options grows more urgent. The Mercy Center is meeting this challenge with a new collaborative initiative known as The Triangle.

The Triangle brings together the Mercy Center for Women, the Hamot Health Foundation (BUILD), and the Mazzini Foundation across three connected sites. With the recent acquisition of the former Sacred Heart School, this 42,000-square-foot building will undergo a $7 million renovation to create 20 new apartments, a lower-level food pantry, and additional community spaces. Once complete, this building will offer housing for 30–40 more individuals, helping address our waitlist of more than 80 people seeking shelter.

Each building within The Triangle will play a unique role, offering housing, social services, and workforce-aligned programming—including culinary and catering training—to support individuals on their pathway to recovery and long-term stability.

The Mercy Center’s approach has proven successful: the MACC transformed a vacant school into a thriving hub of services, community, and second chances. The Sacred Heart building will continue this legacy by bringing new life, activity, and opportunity to a building that once served thousands of students.

The work ahead is substantial, but the impact is even greater. Together—with partners, supporters, and the Erie community—we are building solutions that honor dignity, strengthen families, and create lasting change.

For more information about being a part of the Sacred Heart project, contact Jennie Hagerty at jhagerty@mcwerie.org.