First Annual Emmaus Home Picnic

On Saturday, May 15th, we hosted our first annual Emmaus Home picnic as a way to show our appreciation for our Companions and all they do for our core members. Our mission is to share life together in community, and we are so grateful for moments when we can come together to celebrate each other.

All six of our residents and their families attended along with program participants and our staff. Everyone enjoyed corn hole, bocce, hiking, karaoke, a water balloon fight, barbecue and lots of great side dishes prepared by family and friends. Our communities provide friendship, love, support and the opportunity for mutuality: basic needs of every human being. and it was such a wonderful opportunity to gather together.

We welcomed the chance to speak with some of our residents’ families. Here are their thoughts about Emmaus Home:

“Ken has gone from putting his clothes away when we were trying to take him back to his last group home to putting his clothes away at Emmaus Home before we bring him home. He is very happy with being at Emmaus Home and is very anxious to get back as quickly as he can.” Kevin, Ken's Dad

“I’m very happy that my daughter is at Emmaus Home. She’s receiving individual care, and the staff is lovely. Everyone working with Mikayla is very concerned, very loving, very caring. They treat her with dignity and respect. Also another thing that is very important to me about having Mikayla at Emmaus home is the fact that God is a part of everyday life there…that her daily needs and spiritual life are also focused on. That’s a very big, important part of our family." Heather, Mikayla’s Mom

"Emmaus Home has been an absolute blessing for Spenser and I. It took a little while in the beginning for Spenser to get used to it, but now when he comes and stays with me, he asks to go home to Emmaus Home. All the caregivers have been so patient and loving. It is the best placement ever." Cindy, Spenser’s Mom

We look forward to many more annual picnics and events filled with fun and fellowship!

Spencer's Birthday 🥳 🎉

We love celebrating life together at Emmaus Home! We recently hosted a BBQ to celebrate Spenser's birthday and a fun time was had by all!

Meet KAREN

As we continue to celebrate Autism Awareness Month, we couldn’t think of a better time to launch our new blog series introducing you to the wonderful Emmaus Home community.

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Karen is 58 years old and came to live with us in October of 2020. When Karen’s mother passed away leaving her in search of a new home, Karen’s family prayed for a solution. It was not long before God, who hears all our prayers, opened all the doors for Karen to move into Emmaus Home 3 with her housemate, Mikayla.

Since then, Karen has been such a delight! She has a great sense of humor and adds so much to our Girls' Home! In her free time, she loves to walk, bowl, and watch sports including the Pittsburgh Steelers, hockey, and college basketball.

At the house, she serves as the head cleaner, helps with meal preparation, cares for her pet fish, and recently started our first Girls' Home Garden! She planted tomatoes, lettuce, and cucumbers which we will harvest for our family-style meals. We are blessed to have Karen as part of our community to share life together!

#AutismAcceptanceMonth #UniquenessUnitesUs #AutismAwarenessMonth