Annual Wine Women & Shoes Event Nets More Than $90k For Episcopal Children’s Services As Community Come Together In Order To Celebrate Philanthropy

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., June 1, 2022 –More than a hundred guests wore their most fashionable shoes at the 2nd annual Wine, Women & Shoes Jacksonville for an evening of fun and shopping, with the common purpose of supporting Episcopal Children’s Services (ECS). Friends, sisters, mothers & grandmothers, daughters, and colleagues throughout the area of Northeast Florida gathered at Timuquana Country Club on May 12, 2022, to raise over $90,000 net to benefit Episcopal Children’s Services.

First Coast News and First Coast Living anchor, Jordan Wilkerson was serving as the host for the evening as guests shopped, sipped, and helped the agency which serves over 25,000 children as well as their families in 14 counties in Florida offering Head Start, School Readiness and Early Head Start services and programs. Attendees were treated to a never-before-seen fashion show that feature fashions from local businesses, Cedric Brown Collections, and Zags, An Unlikely Pear. Also, they enjoyed a classy evening of wine tastings, a fun fashion marketplace, a silent auction that feature extraordinary products as well as retail goodies, and a live auction featuring lavish experiences and trips.

Guests also enjoyed a spectacular marketplace with the latest trends and go-to finds and a lucky resident won the “Key to the Getaway,” a luxurious trip to Sonoma, California. With the agency raising over $90,000 net through this second annual event, all the funds will be used to directly benefit the children and families of North and Central Florida.

“This event exceeded our expectations, and we are beyond pleased with the Jacksonville community and their support of ECS,” mentioned Chief Development Officer Lauren Hopkins. “We are looking forward to next year’s event and raising even more funds for the well-being of the children and families in North and Central Florida.”

Generous community sponsors for the event included Julia and John Taylor, Davy and John Parrish, Dex Imaging, UnitedHealthcare, Smith Hulsey & Busey, Connie Stophel, Pamela Y Paul, Jeanne Dillard, Martha & Tom Baker, THE PLAYERS, The Episcopal Diocese of Florida, The Florida Times-Union, Florida Insurance Trust, An Unlikely Pear, Sight & Sound Productions, Kaplan, Gate Foundation, Baptist Health & Wolfson Children’s Hospital, Best Bet, Kathy & Jerry Weedon, Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund, Pajcic & Pajcic, Jaguars Foundation, Black Knight, LassiterWare, VyStar Credit Union, Timucuan Asset Management, Florida Blue, Jacksonville Business Journal, Inspirations at Town Center, Minuteman Press, Newmark Phoenix Realty Group, First Coast News, Money Pages, TD Bank, Ross and Sally Singletary, Temple and David DePlato, Eric and Destinee Swanson, and Paula and Jay McGarvey.

“We are so grateful to have the help of our many sponsors and thankful for their fervent support of our ECS community,” mentioned Chief Executive Officer Connie Stophel. “We could not do what we do without our community partners, and we are appreciative of their investment in our children and families.”

About Episcopal Children’s Services 

Episcopal Children’s Services serves over 25,000 children as well as their families in 14 counties in Florida. ECS is offering Head Start, School Readiness, and Early Head Start programs in Alachua, Citrus, Levy, Lake, Gilchrist, Dixie, Marion, St. Johns, Putnam, Nassau, Duval, Clay, Bradford, and Baker counties.

ECS uses best practices and research to help families ensure their children enter school all set to learn. Dedicated, talented teachers and staff proactively work with children from birth to age 5 and their families into building a strong educational foundation.