John E. Horan Garden Apartments Community Center

The MCRC Family Support Center Services Program at the John E. Horan Garden Community Center is a community based family support program designed to assist residents of the John E. Horan Garden Apartments and Bird Drive apartments, as well as residents of those neighborhoods. The Family Support Center Services provides a wrap-around approach and includes Family Support, Employment Services, and Adult Education Opportunities. 

PROGRAM SERVICES – Family Support Services are offered to help families make critical connections to other families and resources in their neighborhoods and the Erie Community. Through employment and education services along with social service referrals, staff help eliminate barriers, build supportive relationships, and attain personal goals. 

A COMPUTER LAB is available to all participants and on a drop in basis for residents. Phone, internet connection, printing, copying and faxing services are available free of charge. 

EMPLOYMENT SERVICES – Our Employment Coordinator offers career counseling, guided job search and job placement services including resume building, assistance with completing job applications, mock interviews and workplace computer skills.  Participants can work one on one or in small group workshops. Our connections to the Multicultural Community Resource Center (MCRC) also allows us to assist those with limited English, and work with employers who look to provide employment opportunities for non-native English speakers. A Job Postings board is updated regularly with current job postings and training opportunities. 

EDUCATION SERVICES 

  • GED Preparation — Basic adult education assessment and classes designed to help the individual attain their high school equivalency diploma in addition to individual study support for content area tests. 
  • ESL Classes – Classes designed to assist participants with improving their basic English language, verbal and reading comprehension skills. Classes are offered at various levels including:  Beginner ESL, Advanced ESL and Family ESL. 
  • Citizenship Preparation- Independent study areas, one on one preparation and small group classes are offered to help students prepare for their Citizenship Interview and Test. 
  • Career Exploration and Development – Assistance in identifying appropriate and meaningful career opportunities and completing a goal plan to transition to the workforce or further education/training. Assistance with FASFA and scholarship applications available. 
  • Computer Literacy – Classes will assist the participant to develop the basic computer skills necessary for many of the employment opportunities available in Erie. Interest based classes such as Power Point, EXCEL, Intro to Internet and Print Shop are offered as well. 
  • College Exploration and Preparation – Participants interested in pursuing college-level study will be assisted with identifying post-secondary learning opportunities and developing a plan to engage higher education. Adult students can also receive remediation of Math, Reading, Writing and Study Skills in order to become more confident entering (or returning to) the post-secondary setting. Staff will assist with applying for scholarships and internships. 

FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES – A social service case worker will engage with each participant to assure progress on the residents’ plan and assist with providing the support needed to actively pursue the participant’s goals. A wrap-around approach will be encouraged in order to fully support our participants. 

  • REFERRALS TO SOCIAL SERVICES: A social service manager will help identify barriers and assist residents in accessing supportive services in the neighborhood and the Erie community. 
  • HOUSEKEEPING/HOMEMAKING SERVICES: One on one and group support available, by referral, from the Housing Manager on topics such as:  Cooking and Nutrition, Wellness and Parenting, Cleaning and Housekeeping Techniques, Budget and Money Management, De-cluttering and Organizing, etc. 
  • COMMUNITY BUILDING EVENTS:  Holiday Events, Make and Take Craft Activities, Empowerment Groups, Summer Programming, etc. sponsored by the HACE and MCRC. Please stop in to get involved! 

Program Contact: 

Eddie Ocasio 

eocasio@mcrcerie.org 

QUESTION

554 East 10th Street Erie, PA 16503

814-455-0212

mcrc@mcrcerie.org

554 East 10th Street Erie, PA 16503 | Phone: 814.455.0212 | Email:  mcrc@mcrcerie.org

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