Stories to Savor  

This is really about a place - Lancaster, PA.

This pristine, small-town in Pennsylvania Dutch Country welcomes more refugees per capita than any other municipality in America.  The area has a long history of activism in support of the homeless.  The Mennonites initiated this practice as a response to their own experience as outcasts in the 18th century.  

That ethic continues to this day.

The interesting thing is that accepting lots of refugees does not seem to be a burden on the community.  The opposite is true.  Those outcasts may appear to arrive without assets, but the facts are much different.  They come with energy, smarts and values that make Lancaster’s economy stronger and the entire area a better place to live.

Ed McManness and Dan Perryman, the founders of Stroopies, are proud to play a part in continuing this tradition.

They have lived and worked in many countries, traveled widely and seen much. Their experiences have brought them in contact with both the beautiful and the not so beautiful that happens on planet Earth. Those life experiences have fueled Ed and Dan’s commitment to helping their new refugee neighbors successfully adapt to America.

It is a classic case of doing well by doing good.