Erie Nonprofits and Charities

EmergyCare is one of the largest non-profit ambulance services in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, covering more than 5,600 square miles and protecting over 500,000 people. EmergyCare has been recognized for its excellence by the PA Emergency Health Service Council (PEHSC), the American Ambulance Association (AAA), PA Ambulance Association and American Heart Association. These accolades are a testament to EmergyCare’s commitment to providing the highest quality of care to the constituents of North-Western Pennsylvania. The service lines that EmergyCare provides includes: Emergency and Non-Emergency medical transportation at the Basic / Advanced / Critical Care Life Support levels, inter-agency paramedic intercept response, paratransit (wheelchair) / medical taxi transport solutions, tactical paramedic / SWAT Team integration, and community outreach which includes educational safety programs including Camp EMS. The operations team consists of approximately 230 wheelchair transporters, EMTs, PHRNs and Paramedics and a fleet of 70 vehicles including 33 ambulances stationed in Erie, Titusville, Warren and Kane, PA. Organization wide, EmergyCare runs approximately 65,000 transports annually.

I volunteered as an AmeriCorps VISTA for 2 years at UECDC and it was a life-changing experience. This center is a second home for many within the community (particularly New Americans) and is a driving force of change for creating education and employment opportunities for families on the East Side. The staff at the center go above and beyond in helping everyone who walks through their doors.

Save Unborn Life is the first pro-life charity that offers abortion-minded women a sum of $3000 to not abort their baby. We have saved over 100 babies, and with the support of pro-life citizens, could save many more! What better use of money could there be than to save an unborn baby from abortion?<br>PLEASE watch this video:<br>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKPgse4axQw&list=PL9CQlldupc59F7ZFZYqjf__SMFj-rfd-O&index=3&t=0s<br><br><br>GOD BLESS US EVERYONE!<br>Laura Merriott<br>saveunbornlife.org

As someone who continually hears negative stories from employees and students of this organization, I can't help but wonder why this is still considered a nonprofit. All information would indicate that this organization is run all for profit and hardly contributes to better the Erie community. <br> <br>Former students and current students complain about the lack of resources and advising provided by the organization. Students are treated as first graders and not as professionals as you would expect from any other higher education institution. A perfect example of their lack of investment in their students is the nonexistence of class reunions or scholarships. <br> <br>The family that runs the organization are all under qualified in that they are simply doctors with little to no knowledge of business principles or policy. The hospital is absolutely abominable! Nurses do not understand what they are doing and the highest degree requirement is LPN whereas across America, nurses are required to hold RN degrees. I simply cannot understand why anyone would want to donate to this organization that pockets all of the proceeds. Who actually benefits from this nonprofit if not only the family that runs it?

Royal Arch Masons of Pennsylvania helped me with Wisdom and Knowledge. My friend of whom was homeless and without food or clothing called out from acrossed the country for help. He was alone and kicked out of his residence due to mental health reasons.<br>Being a Veterna of 90% service connected disability, I loaned him half of my pension check from the Armed Forces and provided a safe haven for him while The Royal Arch and Affiliates, assisted me with resources to help create a foundation of new beginnings for this battle buddy. <br>The purification was just and he is now living free in a new apartment, and supplied new clothing as well, through the additional support of the Veterans Homeless program and "The Miracle House". <br>Although the thousands that were loaned to this individual are still in arrears, I have long since dismissed this loan, and have given him the gift of charity.<br>Thank you for your support in helping me help my friend in need. I am wiser because of the Fraternity. <br>Respectfully,<br>Sir John C Stanford<br>Erie, PA

I am the parent of a resident at Erie Homes for Children and Adults. This agency is not just a place to live and be cared for but it is an extension of our family. Veryone at this agency treats my son and all the others with respect, dignity, and love. I can rest peacefully at night knowing my son is well cared for by a group of dedicated staff members. They bring me peace of mind on a daily basis.

After the death of my 18 year old, we were devastated and didn't know where to go or what to do next. All we knew is that we wanted to honor her and leave a legacy for her. The Erie Community Foundation was there for us, and set up a scholarship fund. We can go on, because we know that her name and scholarship will far outlive us.

I started going to KaleidAScope Adult Social Groups in September, 2012. The reason why I go there is I like to get experience getting social skills there. I made friends there and they are mostly guys there. My best friend so far is K M, she had a same feeling that I have. Other friends including SM, I am being friendly to him. Others including B M, he has talents of being a clown. <br> <br>I live in Sinclairville, NY and I lived over 50 miles away from KaleidAScope. <br> <br>Before I use to go to KaleidAScope, I used to be afraid of meeting people because they are strangers out there and since I started going to KaleidAScope, I wasn't afraid of meeting people at all. <br> <br>When time comes, I know I'll have my bright future from there to the outside world. <br> <br>-Jeremy Blum, Sinclairville, NY

It's a good places to get out of jail sooner. The case workers gives you they phone number and extension. Tells the family if you have any question to call. Show your support for the recovering family addict. But when they seems to be a problem in the addict recovery. The case workers don't return your phone call about your concerns. So the only thing you can listen to is the recovery addict who has a long history of manipulating lies. Once again the addict has gotten away with something recently about accusing me and caused problems in my family. Later admitting the information was wrong. Sorry and trusting don't cut it with me anymore. My wife her mother tried to call several times leaving messages in attempts in finding out what the problem was. Supposed to be a honest program. Don't even get Honest any answers from the counselors there. The Families deserve someone to be honest with them .I worked for the New York State Corrections for 29 years.. I know when someone isn't walking the talk and just talking the walk. I don't understand how a recovery addict in her first 30 days in a rehab can make so many phone calls to anyone or anywhere and anytime she wants too.. She should be focusing on her recovery and not the outside world. It's irresponsible of the counselor not to call the family back. What are they hidding? Are they enabling in they recovering or enabling them? She must be learning to be a better victim.. I am sure the facility in Maryland gets money for taking the inmates from the Maryland system. They claim it runs on contributions. I have to come to my own conclusions since no one there is willing to return phone calls. I am sure the facility. Scammers working with scammers. It's always about the money. So contacted them and the director called. I wasn't home and the director, case worker with the doctor talked to my wife on speaker phone. Said that her daughter handled it by her calling us. {She couldn’t ever handled anything truthfully. Thats why she abused drugs and in and out of jail. } Asking my wife if she knew about me writing. What did they try to do? Instagate more trouble in the family. They said that they could consider her too send her back to jail. Because of what I wrote. That they don't need the trouble. Never explaining why or what the accusation was all about. This all could of been avoided if the case worker just returned and answered the accusation of my wife bringing in a cell phone and about me calling the facility saying the she was on facebook. All false accusations made. The statement that Gaudenzia made could consider her to send her back to jail is the solution of family intervention. They are more worried about they reputation then Rehabilitation.

As the former Development Director, I spread the good news of L’Arche Erie, expressing who we are and what we do. By creating home, we transform lives, one heart at a time. I lived in a L’Arche home with four men with intellectual disabilities and two people without intellectual disabilities. I was also an assistant, a person without intellectual disabilities who help people with intellectual disabilities. It was during this time that my life was transformed. Most people would think that the people moving from an institution into a home would be the individuals whose lives are transformed, but in L’Arche it’s both; it’s a mutually transforming relationship. <br>Four months after I joined the L’Arche Erie community, I went on a recommended L’Arche retreat where I meditated on a quote by our international founder, Jean Vanier. It states, “People may come to our communities because they want to serve the poor; they will only stay once they have discovered that they themselves are the poor. ~ Jean Vanier, From Brokenness to Community, p.20 <br>My world was turned upside down. Like many people who stay in L’Arche, I will continue to live the Gospel Beatitudes, which are found in the Bible (Matthew 5:1-12). <br>No L’Arche Erie community is perfect; as a matter of fact, we celebrate our imperfections, recognizing one another’s limitations while striving to grow and be the best we can be (without comparison). I pray that others who will get involved will discover the beauty that I discovered. <br>“Through the hands of God’s little ones, we ask His blessing. Through the eyes of those who have been rejected, we ask God to smile on us.” Excerpt from the L’Arche Prayer <br>

The Sight Center of Northwest Pennsylvania has received accreditation from the National Accreditation Council for Blind and Low Vision Services (NAC). NAC is the only accrediting body that solely focuses on standards and best practices for blind and low vision services with the consumer in mind. Sight Center of Northwest PA has demonstrated that it meets or exceeds the standards set by NAC for delivery of blind and low vision services. The determination for accreditation is a rigorous process that involves self-examination by the organization, an on-site peer review to verify processes and procedures by a team of professionals serving in the field and a review of the findings by the NAC Accreditation Committee. NAC congratulates The Sight Center of Northwest PA on its accredited status.

Would say they change kids' lives as much as they fire up an already present passion for becoming entrepreneurs. The kids who come home after their Business Summer Camp are full of creativity and passion for striking out on their own. Am also very impressed with the wide range of corporate, foundation and individual donors who give, and give with a passion.

Our Car Dealership, Dave Hallman Superior Toyota has donated a New <br>Vehicle for this organization to use. <br> <br>The amount of time the people spend with these children are second to none. We have seen first hand the beautiful flowers and trees that the children have planted. <br> <br>Some of the Book's and support material that coincide with this program are a stroke of Genius!. <br> <br> John W. Wurst

I have been involved wth Lake Erie Fanfare from the very day it was created 28 years ago and have served as a board member, director of the drum corps itself, treasurer and I guess you'd say as the CEO as well. All the while remaining a volunteer in the group. I think one of our most exemplary qualities is that we have done all that we've done with nothing but volunteers. No highly paid staff - simply every dollar raised goes right into the programs. We've offered our area numerous DCI shows over the years, clincs, the Lake Erie Regiment drum & bugle corps and the LER Independent Winter Color Guard as well. We've worked countless fundraising events to fund these programs and are truly proud of their success. We hope our efforts will sustains us as we move forward and keep this unque activity here in our area for many years to come!