Washing Feet, Touching Souls

Thank you to the hundreds of people and organizations who contributed, volunteered or donated shoes during this year’s Maundy Thursday Foot Washing. What began as a Holy Week service to the community at our Diocesan Center has spread far beyond Ocean Beach. ECS was back again this year, providing 70 pairs of shoes at their Friend to Friend location. In addition, Stand Up for Kids and Photo Charity put shoes on another 67 homeless teens and children of distressed families.

Generous donations from The Women of St. James; Good Samaritan, San Diego; Good Shepherd, Bonita; The Society of St. Paul; the Spiritual Ministry Center; St. John’s, Fallbrook; St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Lutheran Church, and individuals made it possible to serve the large and the small. There were extra shoes on hand for teens who had grown more than they realized, and cash for special orders like the man who wore a size 20 shoe.

Volunteers came from as far away as Carlsbad and Fallbrook. They helped cook and serve food, washed and cut hair, gave medical and dental exams, offered job assistance and pet care. The guests they served represented the mentally ill and homeless, working families with children, and a school teacher on disability.

After a hot meal and a haircut, one of the guests sat on the curb, holding a new pair of shoes, and said, “I feel whole again.”

Look What You Did!

355 pairs of shoes

173 meals

35 haircuts

33 medical appointments

18 veterinary visits

17 dental visits

8 job assists

6 VA service appointments