Roby Curtis has followed a calling to serve the most vulnerable in his community.
He is the founder of Emmanuel City Mission (ECM), established in 2009 as a volunteer, street-based outreach service before finding its long-term premises in South Brisbane in 2014. ECM supports anyone who has fallen on hard times, including those recently returned from the justice system, people experiencing homelessness or those who just need somewhere to turn to.
Roby’s deep sense of purpose is driven by his Christian faith, and a desire to provide ministry to others and treat them with dignity and love. He coordinates all ECM’s volunteers, donations and fundraising, including the yearly 300km pilgrimage from ECM to Cherbourg.
In a typical week, ECM serves 1,000 hot meals, provides 150 toiletry packs and 100 loads of cleaned laundry. Most importantly, they provide a non-judgemental sanctuary for empathetic conversations, ensuring every visitor feels valued for the person they are.