By Lindsay Andrews
Step inside the UPMC Health Plan Neighborhood Center in Erie, and you’ll find a hub of activity: a full-service food pantry, a workforce center, an insurance resource area, and more. There’s truly something for everyone.
This “one-stop hub” is led by Program Manager Drevell Showers, who takes pride in connecting resources and filling gaps so people in his community can live healthier, happier lives.
“I was born and raised in this neighborhood, and that experience prepared me for this role,” Showers says. “From a young age, I felt underserved and watched this area decline—becoming a food desert after the loss of a grocery store and seeing landlords neglect properties. That leaves people without options.”
Fast forward to today, and the new center couldn’t be in a better location. “People need that shot of hope,” Showers adds. “Now that investments are being made, it’s opening the eyes of those who had lost hope.”
The UPMC Health Plan Neighborhood Center officially opened on July 31, 2025. The 4,000-square-foot facility at 803 East Avenue offers year-round, community-focused services, including:
- A marketplace-style food pantry in collaboration with Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania.
- Job search and application assistance through UPMC Pathways to Work and PA CareerLink®.
- Literacy and educational resources, including workstations.
- Health insurance navigation through Hamot Health Foundation.
- Referrals for mental health, behavioral health, substance use, and other support services.
The center’s location is key to its success. Nearby, the Erie Center for Arts and Technology offers creative programs for teens and adults, while the UPMC Jameson School of Nursing and a sports complex provide additional opportunities for engagement.
“Data shows a 20-year gap in life expectancy depending on where you live in Erie County,” Showers notes. “Since 2021, this area has been thriving thanks to new investments, and our center is helping accelerate that progress.”
The center’s mission aligns directly with UPMC’s: meeting people where they are and offering what they need in real time. “It’s a safe space where people can get resources and find their voice,” Showers says. “We’re in the heart of the neighborhood, triaging needs, engaging with our neighbors, and pumping in resources.”
Since opening, Showers has already seen lives change. Whether it’s having a box of food ready for someone at a time that works best for their schedule or offering a safe space to someone with nowhere else to go.
The center has also hosted impactful events, like a Children’s Mobile Dental Clinic, “Big Smiles,” which served 25 kids this year. “Dental access is hard to come by,” Showers says. He and a colleague even handed out cereal bars and water to kids walking to school to build trust and show the center is a welcoming place.
Other plans in development include financial literacy classes and a laundromat, developed in collaboration with an advisory group of engaged community members. “If you can have a presence here, we’d welcome you wholeheartedly,” Showers says. “More input will only strengthen the center and its relationships.”
Looking ahead to the next year, Showers’ goal is to fill every office and prepare for any situation. “I’d love for us to grow so much that the challenge becomes finding space,” he says. “We want that door chime ringing constantly—proof that people know we’re here to help.”
Lindsay Andrews is director of member communications for the PA Chamber.