Mercy Center baby shower connects Erie families to support services

At Mercy Center for Women, the baby shower was built around a basic problem: too many Erie families are entering parenthood without enough diapers, formula and newborn essentials. The April 26 event gave expecting and new mothers free baby supply kits, while nonprofit partners stayed on site to connect families to help that can last well beyond one afternoon.

Executive director Jennie Hagerty said the need is certainly there, especially for families all around Erie who could use a helping hand. The event was designed to give mothers the best possible start despite adversity, and it treated the baby shower as an access point for care, not just a giveaway. Families left with practical supplies that can ease the first days at home, along with information on where to turn next for support.

That broader approach fits Mercy Center for Women’s mission. The organization serves women in the community who are homeless or need help with personal development, and its program descriptions also point to transitional housing and permanent housing for individuals and families in transition. Mercy Center says its work focuses on people affected by domestic violence, addiction and mental health challenges, which makes the baby shower part of a larger family-stabilization strategy rather than a standalone community event.

The format is already familiar in Erie. In 2024, Mercy Center hosted its second community baby shower at the Mercy Anchor Community Center on East 28th Street, where 150 expecting parents or parents of children under 18 months registered. That event also brought in resources from Geisinger Health and the United Way of Erie County, showing the same model at work: supplies in one hand, service connections in the other.

The Mercy Anchor Community Center has continued to function as a neighborhood hub for that kind of support. Mercy Center lists partners there including Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania, AHN Saint Vincent, UPMC Western Behavioral Health at Safe Harbor, Sarah Reed Children’s Center, Erie Family Center, Dress for Success–Erie, ExpERIEnce Children’s Museum, Asbury Woods and White Pine Center for Healing. Erie Family Center also used the site for diaper distribution in April 2026, reinforcing the center’s role as a local checkpoint for families under pressure.

For Erie, the baby shower pointed to a clear pressure point: newborn care is expensive, and the need for diapers, food and dependable referrals does not end when the gifts are opened. Mercy Center’s model turned a celebratory event into a practical gateway for mothers who need more than a bag of supplies to make it through the early months.