PORT ORANGE | Georgette Dell’Orfano moved into Epiphany Manor 17 years ago right after a tree crashed into her mobile home. “It was a real blessing,” she recalled. The timing could not have been more perfect.

Today she is still glad she discovered affordable housing in the area and she’s looking forward to new management under Resurrection Property Management, the housing management arm of Catholic Charities of Central Florida. The organization took over in January with the goal of managing all diocesan affordable housing properties to ensure safe and secure housing, tenant care, streamline administration, and provide more robust services where possible.

“This is a really good place to live. I’m grateful for it,” said Dell’Orfano who spends time with neighbors playing cards and dominoes in the community room.

Cindy Taylor moved in 10 years ago after a traumatic mugging left her with a disability. Primarily looking for safety, she said the call box to get in makes her feel secure. She enjoys sunsets from her apartment and the speakers who visit the complex to discuss health issues. “There’s usually something always going on. New people come in and you get to meet them. And pretty much everything you need is right in the area. It’s just a good place to live,” she said.

Unique to Epiphany Manor is that residents lead many of the activities. One gentleman even took it upon himself to decorate his floor and the community room for Valentine’s Day.

Another woman teaches chair exercises, while others prepare meals for shut-ins and deliver them every Monday. Then residents meet in the community room for leftovers. Martha Coon is one of those who helps distribute meals. She arrived more than a year ago after living for years in a hotel, essentially homeless. She tried renting a place with her niece, but the high rent left her with little afterward. Because every apartment has rental assistance available to the residents to ensure housing costs are affordable, the wait to get in was long, but worth it she said.

In 1986, inspired by a similar housing project in Winter Haven, Father Francis Smith, then pastor of Epiphany Parish, approached the city about building apartments for those on fixed incomes. Focusing on the great need in Volusia County, housing officials agreed, and Epiphany Manor opened in 1989. It has 20 studio apartments and 52 one-bedroom units. At the time, Father Smith told Florida Catholic, it was a “dream come true”.

From its opening, management was contracted through third party for-profit companies, until two months ago. “With Catholic Charities of Central Florida managing the property, we strive to control the cost of management, and to develop and maintain quality condition of the building and its units,” said Deacon Wilmar Rojas, director of family stability at Catholic Charities. “We’re still evaluating right now the condition of the building, assessing immediate needs and capital improvements, and will budget for those.” He hopes improvements will begin in the 2026 budget year.

Deacon Gary Tester, president of Catholic Charities, noted with the addition of Epiphany Manor, the agency now manages 669 apartment units, of which 507 are owned by Catholic Charities of Central Florida Housing, Inc. CCCF also owns and manages eight single family homes. He shared, “Our commitment to providing and managing affordable housing in Central Florida has never been stronger. It is the single greatest need that exists in our diocese.”

Epiphany Manor sits one block from Epiphany Parish. Residents often walk to the church, and those who cannot make it to Mass receive communion on the premises every Sunday.

There is a service coordinator onsite to help residents in any way they need and to promote community building with the residents. Catholic Charities has already expanded its services by connecting residents with Catholic Charities Behavioral Health Services. Although not an assisted living facility, the aim of this ministry is to assist residents in every respect possible.

Service coordinator Robin Mimna has worked at Epiphany Manor for almost 18 years. She coordinates home health care, helps with insurance, does wellness training, and more. She even helps them with the computer and opens tight jars for residents if they need it.

“They’re good people and I enjoy making that experience easy for them,” she said. “The whole world has gone digital. Without help and assistance their generation is not able to apply for essential services because you need an email. I enjoy helping them navigate those things.”

She boasts the residents “are great” and she’s known some of them for 17 years. They’re very active and like helping each other. “There’s a nice family over there,” she said adding with a laugh that they can argue like family too. There is genuine care for one another.

Mimna is excited to hear the diocese, through Catholic Charities of Central Florida, is reaffirming their goal to invest in affordable housing in Florida. “They’re willing to make more services available to residents to make sure they’re living in an enjoyable, safer environment. I am happy to work for a company that sees that need and wants to fill it,” she said.

Click here to learn more about Catholic Charities Housing services.

By Glenda Meekins of the Florida Catholic staff, February 12, 2025