About Us
OUR STORY
OUR CORE VALUES
Equity
We believe everyone should be seen, heard, valued, and empowered to succeed. We work to change practices, structures, and policies to realize equity for everyone.
Making Sustainable Change
We are committed to the economic security of all people. Unlike systems that create and maintain disparities, we adopt approaches that meet the individual's needs the way they experience social problems.
Persistent
We understand to make sustainable change we must pursue our goals even when it is difficult or opposed by others. We are driven to think and do what is best for those in need in our community.
With
We are here to walk with you, team with you and celebrate with you.
Opportunity
We work with others to create the circumstances for members of our community to thrive.
Empathy
We are genuinely interested in the emotional state of others and engage with those emotions to compassionately take action.
Relationships
We build connections between people and organizations, founded in mutual respect, to work together to bring about change.
Meet Our Board of Directors
Andi
President
Andi lives in Mount Joy with her husband Bruce. Andi has been a member of the Mount Joy community for more than 35 years. Her parents and grandparents lived and worked here. Andi graduated from Donegal High School.
Andi worked as a nurse/administrator for Lancaster General Hospital/Penn Medicine for over 40 years before retiring in 2021.
Andi’s passion is about building a better place to live, work, and play for all members of the Donegal Community.
Andi is co-founder and President of Friends of Donegal.
Christina
Christina is a licensed social worker and doctoral candidate at Millersville University. Her research has focused on building the social capital of homeless youth. She has nearly a decade of experience as a social worker in the community. Christina is currently a professor at Lancaster Bible College in the Counseling and Social Work Department. She was previously a Foster Care Specialist for the Bair Foundation and a School-Based Therapist for TW Ponessa and Associates. Christina is the board president for the Pennsylvania Association of School Social Work Personnel. She is also a member of the Donegal community, where she lives with her husband and two children.
Stacy
Secretary
Stacy Emminger is a Mount Joy native. She is the founder and Executive Director of Donegal Substance Abuse Alliance, a nonprofit organization that works with families and individuals impacted by addiction. Stacy began volunteering at 16 and has been active with many organizations over the years - St. Joseph's Hospital, The Humane League, Milanof-Schock Library and Donegal School District to name a few. She is excited to bring her years of experience to Friends of Donegal.
Tom
Tom Weber was born and raised in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Donegal High School, where his parents also graduated, making the Donegal tradition very special to him. Tom has always been impressed by the hard work and dedication of the community of Donegal to make the area a better place for everyone. He is currently serving as the pastor of Florin Church on Bruce Ave. in Mount Joy. Tom is married to Sandy and they live in Lancaster near their children and grandchildren. In addition to his pastoral duties, Tom is also a board member of Helping Services Ministry of Mount Joy, a board member of Bible2school of Donegal, and a chaplain for the Mount Joy Fire Company.
Jen
Jen Koppel, MHA, BA, has over 30 years in government, non-profit, and health system organizations, which provides her with a unique perspective on delivering social services successfully within the community. She has been recognized at the White House for transforming homelessness systems in Lancaster County and is the recipient of the Isaiah 61 Restorer of the City award. In 2018 she was appointed to the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency by the governor of Pennsylvania where she still currently serves and was recently re-nominated by the governor for a second term in November 2022. She is a founding board member of the Friends of Donegal and serves on the board of The Lancaster County Food Hub. Jen has been invited as a presenter at various conferences and has served as a consultant on homeless services to communities across the country. She also guest lectures on poverty, homelessness, and social determinants of health at her alma mater, Millersville University.
Deb G.
Treasurer
Deb Gibson is a retired corporate marketer and consultant. She was Director of Transparency at The Hershey Company, responsible for providing consumers with key product, ingredient, and sourcing information. Earlier in her career, Deb held innovation and marketing positions at Hershey, Campbell Soup, and Johnson & Johnson. She has also worked in accounting, management consulting, and banking.
Residing in the Lititz/Lancaster area for the past 13 years, Deb values her community deeply and cannot imagine living elsewhere. She is dedicated to nonprofit board service and has served as Treasurer for various organizations in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, including The Arc of Lancaster Lebanon. Deb lives in Lititz with her husband, Joe, and their rescue dog, Penny.
Deb S.
Deb is a Certified Activity Director, Memory Care Specialist, Community Educator, and Support Group Facilitator with over 30 years of experience designing and leading inclusive, person-centered programs that enhance quality of life for people of all ages and abilities. She is dedicated to providing education, support, and meaningful engagement for individuals, families, and care teams across a wide range of cognitive, physical, and emotional needs.
As a passionate advocate for dignity, equity, and empowerment, Deb takes pride in being part of an organization where she can educate, support, and help build more compassionate, connected communities—one meaningful connection at a time.
Dave
Dave Astuto has lived in Mount Joy for the last 15 years. Originally from Brooklyn New York, Dave graduated from Eastern University with a Bachelors in Business Administration. David has worked in social Services and Business management, and currently owns 4 businesses here in Mount Joy. David is Married with 2 children, and thrilled to be a part of an organization that assists those who are disadvantage and marginalized.
501C3 Information
Friends of Donegal (FOD) is a 501(c) (3) organization. The official registration and financial information of FOD may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free within PA. 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.