Epworth UMC and their senior pastor, Rev. Donna Banks, were honored with the Champion for Children Award from the North Carolina Foundation for Public School Children. Rev. Banks attended the Champions for Children Gala on April 25, 2025, to receive the award.

The North Carolina Foundation for Public School Children described their accomplishment as follows: “Our annual gala celebrates five outstanding North Carolinians who demonstrate in word and deed their recognition that all children deserve to dream of a successful and happy life. Our honorees, like our foundation, have inspired, enriched, advocated, and removed barriers so children can achieve greatness.

Epworth United Methodist Church in Durham, under the leadership of Senior Pastor Donna Banks, has embraced their potential to be a lifeline to local school children as they teach the whole child. Epworth UMC is helping children to read, creating strong after-school programs, increasing parent involvement, providing temporary housing, feeding the homeless, who are mostly children and families, and attending to basic needs for children like food, clothing, and school supplies.

All these activities and more define the ministry of Epworth United Methodist Church. Reverend Donna Banks and the members of her church are truly Champions for Children. They inspire, they role model, and they take action.”

Epworth UMC highlighted some of their programs for schoolchildren and their families. Rev. Amanda Fleishman Wilson, the children’s minister at Epworth UMC, has played a pivotal role in leading these projects.

• Tutoring program: They have partnered with churches and organizations to form a tutoring program helping at-risk students from 3rd-5th grade.
• Backpacking: Epworth has a backpacking ministry where they deliver food to the local elementary school to be distributed to children in need of nutritious food.
• Families Moving Forward: Epworth is part of “Families Moving Forward,” which helps families move from temporary homelessness to stable housing.
• Freedom School: Epworth and other members of the Mt. Level Community Partnership for Racial Justice sponsor a Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School each summer that aims to connect children with resources, provide motivation, and improve self-esteem. Epworth has hosted the school since its inception in 2023.

Editor’s Note: This article was updated to recognize the efforts of Rev. Amanda Flesishman Wilson in coordinating these programs.