Looking for some hope? Let us present Rosa Fatica-Showers, a young professional in Erie with the leadership and dedication needed to meet her passions. Rosa first volunteered at Emmaus Soup Kitchen while she was in high school at Villa almost ten years ago.
After graduating from Gannon University, Rosa moved to Cleveland for a while to teach. She returned to Erie a year and a half ago and right away started volunteering at Emmaus...

Debbie Robertson has been showing up faithfully to Emmaus Ministries for over two decades as both a soup kitchen and food pantry volunteer. Emmaus staff member Sister Valerie Luckey interviewed Debbie on a Tuesday morning at the food pantry.

Emmaus staff member Breanna Mekuly interviewed Joan Martter about her time volunteering at Emmaus. This is what she had to say.

Breanna: How long have you been serving at Emmaus?
Joan: I first started serving at the soup kitchen in 2000. Initially, I came to the soup kitchen to deliver the proceeds of our Angel Tree for Sister Rosanne’s children’s Christmas celebrations.* I was working with Fairview High School and the Angel Tree was a part of our Key Club. Soon after, I started bringing desserts once a month to the soup kitchen.

How did you find yourself in Erie, PA?
Priscilla: I was in the Benedicta Riepp program of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie where I experienced monastic living by living, working and praying with the Sisters.

And how did you find yourself at Emmaus?
Priscilla: The Food Pantry was one of my work assignments. Working for a year at the Emmaus Ministries’ food pantry has been a great honor and blessing for me.

Colleen Hammon volunteers at Emmaus Soup Kitchen twice a week in the dining room, where she often uses her experience with social work to engage in meaningful conversations with guests. She was interviewed by Emmaus staff member, Breanna Mekuly.

Breanna: How did you become involved in volunteering at Emmaus?

Liz Nies spent the summer as an intern at the Kids Cafe. She is currently a senior at John Carroll University where she is majoring in Sociology with a double minor in Political Science along with Peace, Justice & Human Rights. Emmaus staff member Breanna Mekuly interviewed Liz on her last day at the Kids Cafe.

Today I was the sous chef at the soup kitchen. Marie Wolf, a volunteer at the soup kitchen and food pantry for seven years, brought me in and taught me how to prepare a meal for 150 people. We prepared pulled pork, potatoes with butter and garlic, fresh fruit, chili, and chicken and rice soup. I had plenty of questions for Marie. Because of all these questions I had, I decided to do an interview with Marie so others could learn, too, what Marie does when she works with Emmaus' cook, Shirley Whaley, in the kitchen.

WHAT OTHERS SAY ABOUT DMITRY:
From Sister Lucia Surmik, coordinator of the Emmaus Food Pantry: “Our quiet, smiling, ever young Dmitry has been a dedicated volunteer at Emmaus Food Pantry for fifteen years. Dmitry, very quietly but so cheerfully, gathers our empty cardboard boxes and loads them on the truck for recycling. He is seen filling in wherever he is needed, especially helping the elderly and guests who need extra assistance with their bags of food. We have been blessed with Dimitry’s gentle and peaceful presence among us. We wish him a very Happy 90th Birthday!”