Volunteer Spotlight: Donna & Matthew Krippse
At St. Joseph Diner, volunteers like Donna and her son Matthew bring more than just helping hands—they bring heart, compassion, and a commitment to mercy in action.
Donna, a retired teacher, wanted to help Matthew, who is on the autism spectrum, develop important life skills while experiencing the joy of serving others. What started as a personal journey of growth quickly turned into a shared mission of feeding our neighbors, learning, and giving back to the community.
Hope you enjoy this story of hope!
-Sarah B.
Hi! My name is Donna, and I am a retired high school teacher. My son, Matthew, is on the spectrum. The previously used term was Asperger's Syndrome. He finished high school but had not learned many life skills. I was trying to think of a way to help him learn some of these skills, but in a way that would allow him to develop with the help of gentle people to help guide him.
When I was in high school, I had been a candy striper and was a member of the Keyettes. We were the girls' version of Key Club. Both groups worked closely with the Catholic Church. The reward of volunteering was amazing. I wanted Matthew to know what it is like to help our neighbors who are in need, just as I did.
This January, I looked into the various charities offered by the church. I found the two that would best fit our skills - FoodNet Food Bank and St. Joseph Diner - both were programs of Catholic Charities of Acadiana! We began alternating between the two places.
We quickly felt that we were needed most at St. Joseph Diner. We switched our focus entirely to "the diner." As I saw Matthew begin to flourish, we began spending more and more time at St. Joseph Diner.
We have met so many wonderful people, both volunteers and the less fortunate. We both have learned first hand of the tremendous need for volunteers. Matthew has learned lessons from meeting and working with new people to actually working in a kitchen. The life skills he is learning are amazing!
We have been blessed in our life. We enjoy giving back to the community. The experience has been so rewarding. Just hearing one person say, "Thank you" can melt your heart. It is one of those things that has to be heard in person. Being at St. Joseph Diner makes us much more appreciative of our blessings and thankful that we can help those who are less fortunate. We will continue as long as we can!
Follow in Donna and Matthew’s footsteps—join us at St. Joseph Diner and be the hands that feed, the hearts that care, and the mercy that moves. Sign up for your volunteer shift today!