Stronger Together: Addressing Housing and Food Insecurity in Erie

Executive Speaker Series Recap featuring:

The MBA’s latest Executive Speaker Series delivered a meaningful conversation to a sold-out crowd, focused on how Erie is tackling housing and food insecurity through collaboration.

The program opened with MBA President and CEO Lori Joint speaking with Tim NeCastro about his upcoming retirement. When asked, “Why now?”, he shared that Erie Insurance is firmly grounded in Erie and not going anywhere. He added, “It’s time for different leadership at Erie Insurance,” while emphasizing that his passion for the community will not change.

The panel then turned to the conversation around the Triangle of Hope, a collaborative effort aimed at transforming key spaces into hubs for housing and support services.

Kim Thomas, Executive Director of Infinite Erie, helped guide the discussion and emphasized the importance of focus and alignment. She also highlighted Infinite Erie and its 2026 Infinite Erie Playbook. She reinforced the idea that prioritization is critical to making real progress.

Jennie Hagerty, Executive Director of the Mercy Center for Women, spoke about the power of nonprofit collaboration and the work underway to renovate the previous Sacred Heart building into housing for women and children. Her remarks centered on meeting people where they are and building solutions through partnership.

Boo Hagerty, President of the Hamot Health Foundation, shared a bold vision for Erie, stating, “We are going to end homelessness in Erie.” He discussed efforts to expand housing paired with support services to help individuals stabilize, improve their health, and ultimately return to the workforce.

NeCastro also addressed food insecurity, pointing to the need for a more coordinated approach among nonprofits. He highlighted initiatives such as a choice-based market model that allows individuals to select food that fits their needs. He emphasized that these efforts require strong community and philanthropic support.

A common thread throughout the discussion was clear. Addressing housing and food insecurity is not just a social issue. It is directly tied to workforce stability and long-term economic growth.

The event offered a thoughtful look at what can happen when organizations align around shared goals and work together to move the community forward. To view all photos of the event, visit here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/manp/albums/72177720332609912/with/55156796635

Up next in the series is the Manufacturing Leadership Panel this May. More details will be shared soon.