PORT ORANGE  |  To honor the Jubilee Year of Hope, parishioners of Church of the Epiphany in Port Orange donated new shoes for homeless children as part of their Lenten observance.

“Pilgrimage for us is traveling, walking the Easter walk. And so, providing shoes seemed appropriate,” said Lucy Block, parish manager of Epiphany.

Jessica Smith, pastoral associate, said the goal of the drive was to make hope “tangible in the world, to each other and to our community.”

“We are called to be God’s hands and feet,” Smith said. “We value life.  We value service.  We value our community.  We value one another.”

Within the first 10 days of the appeal nearly 200 pairs of shoes were collected to be distributed to students in Volusia County public schools through the PETALS program — People Experiencing Transition and Loss of Shelter. Each year there are an estimated 2,500 to 3,000 students classified as homeless.

“Without the community support that we receive there are a lot things that we wouldn’t be able to do for our families,” said Crystal Eubanks, public schools homeless liaison and program manager for PETALS.  She has a special appreciation for the generosity of the parishioners of Epiphany. “They are truly a godsend.  You see their heart. You see how much they truly care about the community and about supporting our most vulnerable population.”

George Fournier, Special to the Florida Catholic, April 3, 2025