By Shenay Nolan
Kathleen Kruczek-Gathje has always cheered for the underdog. As a third-grade
schoolteacher in Knoxville, TN, Kruczek-Gathje’s favorite students were the ones who were
often overlooked. She enjoyed every moment of teaching but after moving to Memphis, she
retired one-year later.
Yet, she is still doing her part to help others by volunteering 30 hours a week at Manna
House. It is a cozy, brick house that sits on Madison Avenue near Sacred Heart Church in
Midtown. Those who are less fortunate visit the house to receive coffee, clothing, haircuts,
prayer, and many other things.
Kruczek-Gathje has dedicated her life to following the word of God by being selfless and
doing all that she can to help those in need. She and her husband, Peter Gathje are the executive
directors and founders of Manna House. The two have only been married for a little over a year
but they’ve been friends for 17 years.
She opened Manna House in 2005. It was inspired by Kruczek-Gathje’s longtime friend,
Sara Simmons, who struggled with health and addiction issues. The two met at Sacred Heart
Church and became close friends. Kruczek-Gathje would drop her kids off at school and then
pick up Simmons to have breakfast or lunch.
“She used to say, you need to open up a free coffee house,” said Kruczek-Gathje. “She really was
the inspiration.”
Kruzcek-Gathje realized her calling to open the Manna House when she started to notice
things as she read scriptures in the Bible and studying the concept of offering God’s hospitality.
“As Christians ourselves, what we were called to do was feeding the hungry and clothing the
naked.”
Sara was the push that gave Kruczek-Gathje the courage to open Manna House. As
Kruzcek-Gathje approached her 40th birthday, her husband at the time revealed that he wanted to
buy her a sports car as a present but she instantly declined. She reminded him of her desire to
buy a house near Sacred Heart Church and maintained that she did not want anything else.
“One thing that I know for sure is that it’s going to be a free coffee house,” said Gathje.
“We’re going to make really good, strong coffee.”
Sara was not fund of the coffee at one of the local soup kitchens.
“The coffee was really weak and they mixed it with cream and sugar for everybody.”
Manna House has several rooms full of donated items. The first room is near the living
room and contains clothing as well as containers full of toothpaste, towels, and many more items
for guests. The next room has a washer and dryer where volunteers assist with washing the
guests’ clothes. The last room in the house is the closest to the kitchen has plenty of coats. The
walls are filled with tons of vibrant artwork and pictures of smiling guests.
The cabinet in the kitchen is full of huge coffee cans. Most of the guests sit on one of the
two couches in the living room to drink their coffee but some go in the backyard and sit at the
tables. Most of the artwork at Manna House was done by a group called Catholic HEART
workcamp which consists of high school students who go to a different state for missions.
Volunteers, usually college students, often assist Kruczek-Gathje at Manna House. They
help with cleaning and sorting donations. They also make sure that everyone feels welcomed and
they are present.
“We try to call everybody by name. We don’t call anybody by a number.”
Everything that Manna House receives is donated.
“A few items like these packages of brand new socks, we do buy. We also buy
perishables like coffee, cream, or sugar but all that is [purchased with] money that is donated
through private organizations, churches, temples, [and] synagogues.”
Kruczek-Gathje said helping those in need is the only place where she’s found true joy.
“I am not being Christ by being here. I am opening this door and welcoming Christ to
come in here.”
Unfortunately, Sara passed away from a massive heart attack in 2014. There is a painting
of Sara at Manna House that hangs on the wall in the living room. Kruczek-Gathje remains close
to Sara’s children and is even in the process of adopting Sara’s granddaughter, Naveah Mason, whose mother is currently incarcerated.
Kathleen has five children and Naveah is the youngest. She is an active and stylish two-year-old who keeps Kruczek-Gathje on her toes.
“I really like to spend a lot time with Neveah. So now we just take long, slow, lingering
walks where she pushes her own baby doll in a stroller”
The couple has been raising Naveah since she was born.
“I was granted guardianship and full-custody when I brought her home from the hospital
as a newborn,” said Kruczek-Gathje. “Her mother was still incarcerated. Naveah was born at
Regional One, and then Kianna was immediately taken back to prison. Our adoption will be final
on November 13.”
