07-05-2025
'My passion': A birthday gift for a volunteer benefits homeless men at The Lord's Place
WEST PALM BEACH — Dory Faxon's 50th birthday was on its way, but the Palm Beach Gardens real estate agent let her husband know she didn't want jewels or even a nice dinner at a fancy restaurant.
Faxon told her husband, Brad Faxon, she wanted to do something special for a place that had come to be near and dear to her heart: The Lord's Place, a social services organization that helps homeless residents of Palm Beach County.
Brad Faxon, the former PGA Tour golfer, quietly went to work, sharing Dory's wish with family and friends. When her birthday rolled around, Brad Faxon threw her a party.
"He surprised me with a birthday party," Dory recalled. "I was totally surprised, totally shocked."
Dory Faxon was even more surprised by the gift her husband, other family and friends had put together: $50,000 in donations that could be used to help The Lord's Place.
Dory had long dreamed of helping to pay for a home, a place where homeless people could get off the streets and get help as they rebuild their lives.
"That's going to take millions," Dory Faxon said.
Pavilion at The Lord's Place gives men it serves a space to gather
Dory Faxon (left) and Michelle McPhee volunteer at The Lord's Place in West Palm Beach, serving hot lunches to about 125 people who are experiencing homelessness and listening to their stories. 'My passion in life is The Lord's Place,' she says.
So the $50,000 was set aside and when her father died in 2023, Faxon family and friends decided to ask people to raise more money for The Lord's Place in his honor.
All told, they raised more than $97,000 — nowhere near enough for a home but more than enough for something The Lord's Place desperately wanted: a pavilion for the William H. Mann Place for Men, the organization's campus for homeless men.
The pavilion, where men could gather to talk, share ideas and encouragement, cost $70,000. The remaining money was used to buy food for the organization's cafe, where Dory Faxon had begun voluneering in 2018.
That volunteer work had started, Dory Faxon said, because she missed Easter church services and was feeling a bit guilty. She saw a television commercial for The Lord's Place and decided to make a donation.
An official from the organization called her the next day to thank her and offer her a tour. Dory Faxon, who had helped social services organizations in her native Rhode Island, had found a calling.
"It was just a natural thing for me," Dory said.
Rather than seek a spot on the organization's board, Dory said she relished the opportunity to provide more direct assistance. "I was way more interested in showing up and getting my hands dirty," she said.
The Lord's Place volunteer struck by the gratitude of those she serves
In honor of Dory Faxon's 50th birthday and in memory of her late father, family and friends raised $97,173 to build Dory's Place, a pavilion at The Lord's Place that serves as a spot for retreats and gatherings for the 50 residents of its William H. Mann Place for Men.
For more than four decades now, The Lord's Place has been a staple in homeless outreach and assistance in Palm Beach County. About $2.7 million of its annual funding is now under threat as the Trump administration pulls back on grant funding provided by federal agencies.
"A disruption in these grants will have a serious impact on our ability to provide crucial services," said Kerry Diaz, interim chief executive officer of The Lord's Place.
Dory, her family and friends are doing what they can to help the organization. The pavilion was dedicated in November. Dory still relishes her Tuesdays at the cafe, where she helps serve hot meals to about 125 people.
"My passion in life is The Lord's Place," she said.
The homeless people she helps are special to her, she said.
"The littlest thing you can do for these people, they are so grateful, so touched," she said. "They are amazing humans."
Wayne Washington is a journalist covering education for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at wwashington@ Help support our work; subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Woman's birthday gift helps expand West Palm center for homeless men
