Mercy ministry in Erie offers refuge for women, children

Published: 2007-09-27

ERIE, Pa. (CNS) -- The memory of that early morning a few years ago is still vivid to Debby Sepp. A past client of the Mercy Center for Women -- an Erie facility providing housing and support services for homeless women and their children -- she was staying with a former boyfriend and was back to abusing drugs and alcohol. Her fragile life had come apart. There was a knock at her door. Sepp peaked out the window to see who it was. Her eyes grew wide with surprise. On the doorstep were Chris Tombaugh, executive director, and Vicky Fiolek, case manager advocate, from the Mercy Center. "They came to rescue me," said Sepp, a mother of four who looks younger than her 39 years, considering her difficult life. The center is in a former convent of the Sisters of St. Joseph. It was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1994, combining the services of two agencies: Hope House, a small transitional home for women and children, and Grass Roots Opportunities for Women, an advocacy center. It offers transitional housing, education and counseling for women with or without children.

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