Bishop John Noonan | Diocese of Orland website

Parishioners of the Church of the Epiphany in Port Orange collected new shoes for homeless children as a part of their observance of the Jubilee Year of Hope. The donated shoes were gathered during Lent to benefit local students.

Lucy Block, the parish manager at Epiphany, explained, “Pilgrimage for us is traveling, walking the Easter walk. And so, providing shoes seemed appropriate.” The drive aimed to encapsulate the theme of hope within the community.

The effort was led in part by Jessica Smith, pastoral associate, who said the initiative was intended to make hope “tangible in the world, to each other and to our community.” She emphasized the parish's values stating, “We are called to be God’s hands and feet. We value life. We value service. We value our community. We value one another.”

In just 10 days, nearly 200 pairs of shoes were collected for students in Volusia County public schools through the PETALS program, which stands for People Experiencing Transition and Loss of Shelter. Around 2,500 to 3,000 students are classified as homeless in the county each year.

Crystal Eubanks, who serves as the public schools homeless liaison and program manager for PETALS, expressed her gratitude for the donations: “Without the community support that we receive, there are a lot of things that we wouldn’t be able to do for our families.” She highlighted the collective generosity of the parishioners, calling them “a godsend” and noting their visible care for the community and its vulnerable populations.