It was through her church that she found the opportunity.<\/p>\n
Erie 2026: How these 5 volunteers are making a difference in the community<\/a><\/p>\n “I started volunteering once a month with my church, Real Life Assembly of God,” Garrison said. “There was a group that went to the Mission to volunteer. I started doing that and I enjoyed that and felt the need to do more.”<\/p>\n Garrison volunteers at the City Mission more often now that she is retired. She has been volunteering for more than 10 years.<\/p>\n Anyone who attends a public meal at the Erie City Mission at 1017 French St. can find Connie Garrison helping around the kitchen<\/p>\n What does Connie Garrison do at the Erie City Mission?<\/p>\n When Garrison volunteers at the Erie City Mission, she can be found working in the kitchen helping prep and serve meals to those who visit.<\/p>\n It’s the people she encounters on a daily basis that gives her the drive to serve at meals.<\/p>\n “Everybody that I\u2019ve encountered there has been really nice and it\u2019s been rewarding to work with people who come in for help,” Garrison said. “They enjoy the interactions with volunteers too.”<\/p>\n Thinking of volunteering at the Erie City Mission?<\/p>\n Garrison said there are a lot of different opportunities that come with volunteering at the Erie City Mission<\/a>.<\/p>\n “Anyone interested should look online and see what\u2019s available,” Garrison said. “They have the Urban Education Programs, they have people that do office work, people who do outreach, there\u2019s just a variety of different things. I don\u2019t think a lot of people are aware of how much is there in regards to helping people.”<\/p>\n Transforming lives: Case manager at Erie City Mission gives back after turning life around<\/a><\/p>\n Garrison said that the work she does is more rewarding than any amount of pay they can offer her.<\/p>\n “I get more out of it than I put into it,” Garrison says. “It\u2019s one of those things where you hear \u2018thank you\u2019 and you\u2019re humbled by that because I should be the one saying thank you. Just being able to meet so many people, 95% of which are really nice. It makes me feel good to be there.”<\/p>\n It’s even the friendships and familiarity she’s developed at the City Mission that keeps her drive alive.<\/p>\n “I\u2019ve been doing it for so long that a lot of the faces that come in for meals are familiar,” Garrison said. “I would miss them if I didn\u2019t see them.”<\/p>\n Nicholas Sorensen can be contacted at Nsorensen@usatodayco.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Anyone](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/80d4a6e5421e82af7b388e665b4cd625.jpeg\"\/)
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