Volunteer Spotlight

“Volunteering builds relationships not only with fellow volunteers but also with those we serve,” says Fahmy Mamuya. “You gain a deeper understanding of the challenges that others face.”

Fahmy Mamuya’s job as a health care research specialist constantly had him traveling from Boston to New York and Rhode Island. A move to Manchester, Conn., made the most sense for him and his family, even if it occurred as the COVID‑19 pandemic had been keeping most residents sheltered inside their homes for months.

“When we arrived, we didn’t know anyone here, and socially, COVID-19 was still making everyone feel isolated,” says Fahmy. “Living in Manchester is much different than Boston. Boston is a large, busy city. Manchester is a small, close community.”

Volunteering had always been a part of Fahmy’s life, whether it was teaching English as a second language or raising cancer awareness. But he had never done it as part of The Salvation Army.

As the fear from the pandemic eased, people began gathering again at the Manchester Citadel Corps, whether in need of help or to help others. Masked up, Fahmy met Majors Cathy and Mike Himes, the corps officers at Manchester. The Salvation Army gave Fahmy a welcome that anyone new in town would be happy to receive.

“Here, I felt like I belonged. I was part of something. People wanted to know about my family and who I was.

“I knew the stores and always recognized the shield, but I didn’t know that the Army was a church,” says Fahmy. “In fact, I had no idea what was going on underneath. But I got to know the Army and all they had done for their community during COVID-19. And when I started to volunteer for them, I got to meet every part of that community too.”

With restrictions eased, the Manchester Corps returned to its Sunday community meal programs inside the corps’ gym. Although Fahmy had never cooked for large groups before, he became one of the corps’ rotating Sunday cooks. Wanting to have a meal that he would be known for, when it was his week to cook, he made tacos.

“I picked tacos because the ingredients are easy to measure, everyone can add what they like, and you can improvise when you have extra people to feed,” says Fahmy.

“The Sunday volunteers always want to come back and do more when they see how grateful the guests are. Sometimes they come to eat right after attending Sunday service and bring with them a spirit of warmth and joy. That always transitions to me and the meal I prepare in the kitchen for them.”

From those meals, Fahmy has noticed the relationships that have grown among the guests. They remember one another’s birthdays, send Christmas cards out in December, and know what’s going on in each other’s lives.

“Our meals at the corps are as much a social event as it is a ministry to feed the hungry,” says Fahmy. “Many of the people who come are homeless or going through tough times, but they aren’t here just for food. They’re here to be among each other. Some even only ask for a tiny portion. What they really want is to sit down, be with people they know, and take part in that social aspect of eating a meal with someone who knows you.”

People come to share news about their families, talk sports, and joke around.

“Witnessing others interact over the food you’ve prepared feels good. Like any place to eat, we have our regulars, but I want to make anyone here feel as welcome as I did,” says Fahmy, who comes on Sundays to help even if it’s not his turn in the kitchen. “If I wasn’t doing this, I don’t think that I would have gotten to know my neighbors as well as I know them now. I wouldn’t understand the city and its needs like I do now.”

Manchester has also welcomed him in a different way. Though he originally moved to make his work trips easier, he found a new job as director of research and develop­ment at QCDx, part of the University of Connecticut’s Technology Incubation Program, working on medical devices for cancer detection. It was yet another sign that Fahmy was where he was the most needed, both for work and to volunteer.

“The majors said they hoped that I wouldn’t be leaving, even though the services had changed since I first came to the corps,” remembers Fahmy. “I said to them, ‘Nope. I’m staying here now.’”