Lorraine Jenkins, Secretary/Treasurer, St. Martin de Porres Mission

Other News Emilie Center Photo 12
Receiving and sorting in the back room – Volunteers (left to right) Annette Polutnik, Mike Garrity, Sandee McKenna, and Marilyn Curtis

Other News Emilie Center Photo 13
At the check-in check-out desk – Volunteers Linda Quintrell and Angi Garrity

Other News Emilie Center Photo 14
Volunteer Edna Kopp arranges donated items

Other News Emilie Center Photo 15
Taco feed – George Hilpert is head of the Taco feed and a volunteer at the Misison

Other News Emilie Center Photo 16
Taco feed: getting ready – Volunteers (left to right) Annette Polutnik, Cheryl Willits and Edna Kopp

Other News Emilie Center Photo 17
Taco feed: setting up – Volunteers (left to right) sisters Kay and Sandy Rice

Other News Emilie Center Photo 18
Silent auction workers – (right to left) Sandee McKenna (volunteer), Bridgit Harlan (customer), Una Koontz (volunteer) and Lynn Wahlert (bookkeeper)

Other News Emilie Center Photo 19
Donna Delaney, President of Emilie Center Mission

Other News Emilie Center Photo 20
Jim Delaney, President of St. Martin de Porres (both Emilie Center and St. Jude Conference)

We have a mission:
– A mother with a new baby comes straight from the hospital to get baby items.
– Moving to Great Falls from Butte, a family with a 3-day old baby and four other children come for household items.
– A family whose house burned down comes to replace what they’ve lost, only taking the barest essentials.

The situations may vary, but all these families have one thing in common: they need help. That’s where the Emilie Center and the St. Jude Conference provide a very important role to the Great Falls community.

The Emilie Center, located at 1920 10th Avenue South, and the St. Jude Conference both fall under the St. Martin de Porres Mission, each helping in a different way. The Emilie Center gives clothing, household items, and furniture at no charge to those with a documented need. The St. Jude Conference provides monetary assistance with utilities, rent, and/or groceries.

In order to utilize the Emilie Center, customers must have a voucher from an outside organization. These organizations include Opportunities, Inc., Benefis Health Systems, the Center for Mental Health, St. Jude’s Conference, the health department and many schools and churches in town.

Before providing fiscal help, the St. Jude Conference does a home visit with the beneficiary. While in their home, we sit and visit; it’s more personal and we often see other areas where they may need assistance. We can share resources and ideas on moving forward. These home visits are sometimes pretty tough, but they are rewarding also, just knowing that we’re able to help an individual or family that really needs a hand up.

Anyone may donate to St. Martin de Porres Mission, depending on the type of donation that either the Emilie Center or St. Jude Conference will utilize it. Since the Center’s founding, the support from the community has been strong. We have ladies who make beautiful quilts for us. If fabric comes in, we will see whether it can be used for quilts or blankets, and let them use it. We have wonderful repeat donors of both used and new items.

To raise funds, the Mission holds two garage sales and two Indian taco sales with silent auctions each year. Donations are accepted anytime.

Anyone who wants to volunteer or donate can call the Emilie Center from 9:00 a.m. to noon, or 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Tuesdays through Thursdays, at 406-771-6695, or contact St. Jude Conference (P O Box 141, Great Falls, 59403) at 406-788-2291.

Next Indian taco sale will be April 20, 2018, at the Knights of Columbus Hall (9th Street & Central Avenue West) from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with the silent auction to close at 5:00 p.m. Need not be present to win.

THE MISSION NEEDS VOLUNTEERS! Just call the Emilie Center for details.

Contact Us

Do you Have a Story Idea or Information for the Harvest? Let Us Know.

Not readable? Change text. captcha txt