Inaugural March to End Homelessness Draws 200+ Participants and Surpasses $700K in support of ‘Peace, Love, and Housing’ 

Boca Raton, FL – “Today marks a powerful moment for our community. You asked for an event where your voices could be heard on behalf of those who often go unseen and unheard–our neighbors experiencing homelessness. Looking out at your signs calling for ‘Peace, Love, and Housing,’ I see your commitment to a world where everyone deserves a roof over their head.”

More Than 150 Community Members Walk In The Lord’s Place Inaugural March To End Homelessness | Photo: Tracey Benson Photography

Anne Noble, chief advancement officer of The Lord’s Place, opened with the above lines at the conclusion of the 5K March to End Homelessness that took place on Friday, February 28, 2025. More than 200 community members–including The Lord’s Place staff, volunteers, clients, community leaders, supporters, and friends–marched through West Palm Beach, holding signs and using their voices to raise awareness of our most vulnerable neighbors who need our help.

Marchers started at The Lord’s Place Fortin Family Campus on Australian Avenue and walked the 3.1 miles to Centennial Square in downtown West Palm Beach where they were joined by other supporters who gathered to also honor the resilience and perseverance of those experiencing homelessness. 

Using the theme of “steps” in her speech, Noble asked the audience to think about the approximate 6,500 steps that each person walked to get to the finish line and how each step “represents someone in our community who needs help, who needs to be seen, who needs to be heard.” 

She described The Lord’s Place street outreach and engagement team who walks an average of 175,000 steps each week dedicated to changing lives.

“These aren’t just numbers–they’re footprints of hope. When our outreach teams take these steps, they’re walking into encampments, behind buildings, into woods, and under bridges. They’re stepping into peoples’ lives at crucial moments–offering not just services, but dignity and respect. Every step we take, whether during this March or in our daily work, moves us closer to our goal of ending homelessness in our community.” 

CJ, a culinary apprentice at The Lord’s Place, shared his two-year plight with homelessness and how The Lord’s Place helped him obtain housing and gain culinary and hospitality skills to assist him in finding a job.

Encouraging others who are currently experiencing homelessness, CJ said, “Don’t give up…Don’t give up the opportunity that is right in front of you…there are people at The Lord’s Place who are willing to help you.”  

Former client of The Lord’s Place and current employee Charles Hill introduced the first-ever M.A.R.C.H. Award (Mobilize, Advocate, Respond, and Commit to end Homelessness) recipient as GL Homes. Hill, along with Interim CEO Kerry Diaz, presented the award to GL Homes for being a phenomenal corporate partner that has made unparalleled contributions in helping to break the cycle of homelessness and combat hunger in Palm Beach County. They recognized and applauded GL Homes’ philanthropic philosophy and its Vice President of Community Relations Sarah Alsofrom, who together with company employees, makes a difference in the communities where they live and work throughout Florida.

Diaz shared, “Under the leadership of Sarah…GL Homes and their dedicated employees have contributed over $900,000 since 2014 and brought us the game-changing Meal Mobile. This innovative mobile service center doesn’t just provide food, it opens doors to healthcare, mental health support, and housing assistance for those experiencing homelessness. As the presenting sponsor of our Annual Ending Homelessness Breakfast since 2019, our previous SleepOut, and now the March to End Homelessness, GL Homes and their team of volunteers exemplify what it means to be a force for positive change. Their commitment to breaking the cycle of homelessness in Palm Beach County serves as an inspiration to us all.”

In her acceptance speech for the award, Alsofrom thanked everyone present for their support and honored “every single person who doesn’t have a place to sleep tonight, who is unhoused. We want to dedicate our award to all of those who are unhoused.” 

In honor of The Lord’s Place and GL Homes celebrating their 10th anniversary in partnership, Alsofrom also announced an additional $200,000 of support–pushing the homebuilder’s decade of contributions over $1M.

To date, The Lord’s Place march website reports $351,815 raised, of which the majority is being matched by The Honorable Ann Brown. This marks the ninth consecutive year that Brown is matching $350,000 raised for the agency’s signature fundraising event. Brown continues to give in honor of her late husband Brown and touted, “I find that this organization uses its money better than any organization I have ever heard of or been on.” 

For more information on The Lord’s Place or to support the agency in its critical work of moving more people off the streets and into homes, visit TheLordsPlace.org.  

The inaugural March to End Homelessness was part of The Lord’s Place’s effort to spread community and national awareness and raise the much needed funds to provide the resources, programs, and services needed to break the cycle of homelessness. The agency estimates 3,000 men, women, and children without a home on any given night in Palm Beach County. In the United States, many Americans are forced to choose between basic necessities like purchasing food, paying rent, or going to the doctor. The facts are: 770,000 Americans are homeless on a typical night.

For 45 years, The Lord’s Place has been working to break the cycle of homelessness for men, women, and children in Palm Beach County, FL, through innovative, compassionate and effective services. The Fortin Family Campus in West Palm Beach provides training and support services including: the operation of Café Joshua; job training and placement services; clinical and care coordination; community engagement services; and a reentry program helping men and women transitioning from incarceration. The agency also owns or rents 15 supportive and graduate housing locations, as well as 47 scattered site apartments, to help house about 275 individuals every night. For more information, visit thelordsplace.org.