MCRC - Multicultural Community Resource Center

10/13/2026

𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐨.

As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, MCRC was honored to be highlighted on an episode of 𝑶𝒖𝒓 𝑬𝒓𝒊𝒆 - an opportunity to celebrate the Hispanic community and reflect on where our story began.

In 1975, we began as the Hispanic American Council, with no administrative funding, volunteers, two paid staff members, and a commitment to helping Erie’s Hispanic families find support and opportunity. Those humble beginnings laid the foundation for everything MCRC has become.

Over the years, our name changed and our services grew to embrace refugees, immigrants, and New Americans from around the world. Through that growth, our connection to the Hispanic community remains a lasting part of who we are.

We carry forward the dedication of those who built this organization, the trust of families who have turned to us for generations, and the belief that moving forward should never mean leaving your culture or identity behind.

We will always honor our beginnings, celebrate our Hispanic heritage, and keep that connection alive through our relationships, our services, and our commitment to the community.

A special thank you to Eddie Ocasio, a longtime MCRC staff member, and Brandy Cortes, a friend and community member with meaningful connections to MCRC, for helping share the story of Erie’s Hispanic community. Your voices and personal connections brought heart to this conversation, honoring the community that shaped our beginnings and remains central to who we are today. ❤️

Thank you to 𝑶𝒖𝒓 𝑬𝒓𝒊𝒆 and JET/FOX/YourErie for helping share our story and to everyone who continues to be part of it.

🎥 Watch the episode - https://youtu.be/v98logExaYM?si=GKMpkM8XAgT527SB

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10/10/2026

𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲

Yesterday, our Erie community experienced an unimaginable tragedy. Lives were taken in an act of violence that has left families shattered, hearts broken, and an entire community searching for words to make sense of something so senseless. Though the details surrounding this tragedy have yet to be fully disclosed, one thing is certain: our community is hurting. Among those lives lost were children whose futures were taken far too soon, leaving families to face a grief that no one should ever have to endure.

At the MCRC - Multicultural Community Resource Center, this tragedy hits especially close to home. It happened just blocks from our campus, in the very neighborhoods where our families live, our children play, and our staff and neighbors walk every day. Whether or not those directly affected have ever walked through our doors, they are part of our community. Their pain is our pain. Their loss is a loss for all of Erie.

We recognize that these are already incredibly difficult times for so many. Families are navigating uncertainty, hardship, fear, and challenges that often go unseen. This tragedy adds another layer of heartbreak to a community that deserves to feel safe, supported, and hopeful. Our hearts are especially heavy for the children and young people who may be struggling to understand what has happened or process the fear and emotions that follow.

At MCRC, our mission has always been rooted in compassion, dignity, understanding, and the belief that every person deserves to feel safe and valued. Through our youth and family programming, we are committed to providing supportive spaces for children and families to process this tragedy. We also recognize the importance of working alongside our local schools, educators, and community partners to help ensure that those who need additional support are not left to navigate these difficult emotions alone. Our children deserve to feel safe, heard, and supported, especially during moments like these.

There are no easy words for moments like this. No statement can undo what has happened or take away the grief of those left behind. But we can remind one another that we are not alone. Today, we ask our community to lead with kindness. Check on your neighbors. Hold your loved ones a little closer. Listen to our children. Show compassion to those who are grieving, even when you may not know their names or their stories. Healing begins when we choose to care for one another.

To the families who have lost loved ones, we extend our deepest and most heartfelt condolences. To the first responders, law enforcement officers, educators, and everyone who faced the unimaginable, we recognize the emotional weight you carry and thank you for your service.

Erie is hurting. We are hurting here at MCRC. And while we cannot change yesterday, we can choose how we move forward together. Let this tragedy remind us not of what divides us, but of the humanity that connects us. Let us be a community that shows up, that listens, that cares, and that stands together when it matters most.

Our hearts and prayers are with every family grieving, every life lost, and every neighbor struggling to find peace.

Together, we mourn. Together, we care. And together, we will begin to heal.

With deepest sympathy and an unwavering commitment to our community,

Katie Kretz, 𝘌𝘹𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 and The MCRC Family

09/29/2026

Today, our MCRC family gathered to honor Cherokee storyteller Robert Lewis, his wife Chelle, and their son Killian with the 𝐌𝐂𝐑𝐂 𝐆𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐠𝐢 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝. Thank you to everyone who came to show their love and support for this wonderful family. ❤️

𝘎𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘨𝘪 is a Cherokee concept of working together for the common good. We could not think of a more fitting way to recognize the Lewis family. Robert, Chelle, and Killian have shared storytelling, art, basket weaving, and friendship with our Refugee School Impact Grant (RSIG) students. They have also brought food, clothing, hygiene items, and other essentials to children and families who needed them. They saw ways to help and showed up, again and again.

We are deeply grateful for the Lewis family, the Cherokee Nation, and the community of supporters who have joined them in caring for our young people.

Because of funding cuts, RSIG will end in its current form tomorrow, September 30. Our commitment to these children continues. We are working to carry this program forward as STEP — the Student Transition & Empowerment Program.

If you know of a funding opportunity, potential partner, or someone who wants to help sustain this work, please reach out to MCRC. Our students deserve to keep the friendships, support, and sense of belonging they have found here.

Robert, Chelle, and Killian, thank you for showing our community what it looks like to work together for the good of others. We are fortunate to have you beside us. 💙

09/28/2026

“𝑩𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒎, 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒏𝒇𝒐𝒄𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅.” For Atif M., the worry of paying rent and bills was constant. Buying a home for his family felt out of reach.

Today (after working the program for 4 years), he has found better-paying work, learned to save, and built up enough savings that a home of his own feels possible. When his car needed repairs, the program helped him keep the transportation he depended on for work.

Atif’s story is one example of what can happen when a family’s hard work is met with steady support. Through MCRC - Multicultural Community Resource Center’s Family Self-Sufficiency Program, in partnership with the Housing Authority of the City of Erie, residents work toward employment and financial goals with help from our on-site workforce development specialist and FSS Case Manager, Sabrina Ferguson, and HACE caseworkers. Participating families can also build savings through an escrow account as their earned income grows.

Atif had especially heartfelt words for Sabrina, thanking her for caring for his family and helping them move toward “a dignified life.”

We’re so proud of Atif and grateful to Sabrina and our partners at HACE. The possibility of a home for his family means more than a savings goal. It’s a future he can now see. 💙

09/21/2026

If you drive by the MCRC Campus, you may notice something pretty special beginning to take shape on our Annex building.

We wanted to give you just a little glimpse of the transformation…but you’ll have to stay tuned to see the finished piece!

MCRC - Multicultural Community Resource Center is proud to be partnering with Erie Arts and Culture on this project, bringing together local artists, members of our youth program, and MCRC leadership to create something that is much more than a mural. Our team helped shape both the design and the meaning behind it, ensuring that what ultimately lives on this wall tells a story that reflects who we are and the community we serve.

Projects like this matter.

Public art can turn a building into a place of identity, pride and belonging. It creates opportunities for young people to see their ideas become something permanent. It brings generations and cultures together. And it gives us another way to tell the story of a community built on resilience, diversity, hope and connection.

For MCRC, this is about creating a campus that feels as vibrant, welcoming and full of possibility as the people who walk through our doors every day.

We can’t wait to share the meaning behind the final design and, most importantly, the finished product.

Stay tuned… or take a drive by the MCRC Campus and watch the transformation happen in real time. ❤️🎨

09/18/2026

𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐃𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠

For refugees rebuilding their lives in the United States, learning English is about so much more than words and grammar. It means gaining the confidence to speak with a child’s teacher, communicate with a doctor, navigate the community, pursue meaningful employment, and advocate for themselves and their families.

Through MCRC - Multicultural Community Resource Center's Refugee Services Program, our English as a Second Language classes help refugees develop the skills they need to become more self-sufficient, strengthen their job stability, and feel connected to the community they now call home.

One of our students shared:

“𝙀𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙚𝙧. 𝙄𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙗𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧. 𝙄 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝘼𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙖.”

That is the power of ESL programming. Every new word can open a door. Every conversation builds confidence. Every class moves a refugee closer to independence, opportunity, and a true sense of belonging.

At MCRC, we are proud to help refugees find their voices, build brighter futures, and become an even stronger part of our shared community.

09/18/2026

A very special shoutout to the volunteer Board Members of MCRC who give their time, leadership, experience, and heart to help move our mission forward. 💛

Pictured here are three of our Board Officers (𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵, 𝘉𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘋𝘳. 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘺𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩, 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘋𝘳. 𝘈𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘌𝘥𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘝𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘒𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘏𝘢𝘢𝘴) lending a hand on a special donor recognition project this week.

We are so grateful not only to Carolyn, Alice, and Karen, but to all of our Board Members (Seph Kumer and Paul Jericho) and staff who came together to help us recognize the generous people who support MCRC and the work we do every day.

Our Board Members are volunteers, but their impact is anything but small. They help guide our organization, champion our mission, open doors in the community, and (just as importantly) they are willing to roll up their sleeves and work alongside our team when there is something that needs to be done.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐂𝐑𝐂 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞.
People showing up for one another. Leadership rooted in service. Many hands working together toward one mission and a stronger community.

To our Board Members: thank you for believing in MCRC, supporting our staff, and giving so generously of yourselves to the people and families we serve. We are better because you are part of this mission.

📸 PC: Joseph Seph Kumer

09/16/2026

🎉 𝑾𝑶𝑾 - 𝑳𝑶𝑶𝑲 𝑾𝑯𝑨𝑻 𝑶𝑼𝑹 𝑪𝑶𝑴𝑴𝑼𝑵𝑰𝑻𝒀 𝑯𝑨𝑺 𝑫𝑶𝑵𝑬! 🎉

Because of your incredible generosity, our Every Child, Dress Code Ready! campaign has provided 400 pieces of school clothing, helping nearly 200 local students feel comfortable, confident, and ready to learn!

Thank you to everyone who donated, shared our campaign, and helped spread the word. Together, you are making a meaningful difference for children throughout our community.

This is an incredible accomplishment—but more students are still in need. Let’s keep this momentum going and help even more children walk into school feeling prepared and proud!

Donate today:

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/every-child-dress-code-ready

Every donation makes a difference. Every child deserves to feel ready.

09/15/2026

Join MCRC - Multicultural Community Resource Center TONIGHT at City Hall as our Executive Director, Katie Kretz, talks about Civic Engagement: Beyond the Ballot.

The 10-day celebration promotes culture, diversity and community throughout Erie, with events designed to bring neighbors together and welcome people from different backgrounds.

09/14/2026

Your voice matters.....even before you can cast a ballot.

Tomorrow evening, MCRC - Multicultural Community Resource Center Executive Director Katie Kretz will be at Erie City Hall presenting “𝐂𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐜 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐭” as part of the City of Erie’s Welcoming Week celebration.

Many of Erie’s New American residents are not yet eligible to vote - but that does not mean they cannot participate, speak up, build relationships, or help shape the community they call home.

Katie will share practical information about:

✅ How to become involved beyond voting
✅ Who represents you on the Erie School Board, Erie City Council, and Erie County Council
✅ How to contact local elected officials
✅ Where to find public meetings, schedules, and agendas
✅ How to share concerns and advocate for your family or neighborhood
✅ Ways to volunteer, serve, and strengthen our community

Tuesday, September 15
5:30 p.m.
Erie City Hall, 626 State Street

Everyone is welcome! Bring your family, meet community leaders, and learn how you can make your voice heard.

Because civic engagement is not only about Election Day. It is about showing up, speaking up, connecting with others, and helping build the Erie we all want to call home.

You belong here. Your experiences matter. Your ideas matter. Your voice matters.