JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Remember our Positively JAX story about EPIC Outreach? The local farm animal rescue that does so much for our community is growing and needs a bigger home. But the expansion comes with a big price tag and a fast-approaching deadline.
EPIC Outreach is a farm and animal rescue on Jacksonville’s Northside that takes in abused, neglected, and lost farm animals and gives them a new lease on life. Their mission has grown so much in that time that they’ve outgrown their space. Epic now needs to raise $3.2 million for a new space.
Click here to donate to EPIC Outreach
As of May 2024, 69 rescue animals call EPIC Outreach home. Some animals just arrived, like “Morning Star,” a pig rescued from a hoarding situation.
“107 dogs were confiscated,” Jessie Miller, Founder and Executive Director of EPIC Outreach, said. “And there were four pigs, she’s one of the four. The other three went to another rescue.”
Miller told News4JAX that stories like this are exactly why EPIC Outreach needs a bigger home. The need to help more animals is growing.
Related: ‘Kindness goes a long way’: Local farm animal rescue shares its mission of spreading compassion
“We are constantly getting emails,” Miller said. “We’re saying ‘no’ more today than we have in the past. And not saying ‘yes’ less. Only because we have outgrown the capacity of what our current space is.”
The good news is, they don’t have to go far to find a bigger home. They have a chance to buy the property directly behind the farm. It’s 64 acres, and they’d be able to double the number of animals they can take in.
With the new space, Epic would be able to build:
- New fencing
- New shelters for the animals
- Remodeled barn
- More parking spaces
- Extend hours of operation
- More summer camp opportunities for children
“We plan to have a big, huge garden where we and teach classes about growing food and plants. As well as saving animals and teaching people about being kind to animals. And having the opportunity to teach classes and summer camps.”
To pay for the 64 acres behind the property, EPIC Outreach has to raise $3.2 million and time is running out. The deadline to raise the funds is June 1.
Even though the farm’s needs have changed, one thing that will never change is its philosophy of making the world a better place. After all, EPIC stands for Educating People Inspiring Compassion.
Miller said these animals do that daily and a bigger space would help them reach more people.
“We’re going to create a community that is hugely compassionate. That just lights my heart on fire and to have a community come together and be a part of that would be immensely life-changing for our community.”
You can help EPIC Outreach reach its goal of $3.2 million for the expansion here.