If one good thing has come out of this pandemic, it’s the widespread instances of human kindness. One example of this generosity is senior Chad DeWitt and his younger brother, sophomore David DeWitt. 

The brothers received a grant from the non-profit organization Pebble Tossers to support a project organized by Friends of Refugees that provides meals for families who are in mandatory quarantine for three days after getting tested for the coronavirus. 

“Financially, many refugee families could not afford to stay inside,” Chad said, “so Friends of Refugees is not only enabling the families to stay safe inside and not be worried about meals, but also educating the members of the Clarkston community on how they can be safe.” 

The DeWitts have worked with Friends of Refugees a number of times and value any opportunity to support the refugee community in Atlanta. 

“I’m so lucky not to worry about where my next meal is coming from,” Chad explained. “If I can provide that comfort for another family, it makes me so happy!”

The grant money came from Pebble Tossers, a non-profit organization founded by St. Pius X alum Jen Guynn (‘87). The DeWitts were one of 10 applicants who received $1,000 to fund their project. Combined with additional money from family and friends, the brothers were able to provide food boxes to 13 families.

Each box was designed to feed a family of six for three to four days, and they included language-specific educational resources that provided safety guidelines to keep their community safe during the pandemic.

“I think that crises like this bring out the best in people,” Chad said. “People were so generous in giving even though money is so tight for so many. There is such an opportunity with all this free time that we have, why not find some way to help out? Of course I wish I could deliver the food myself, but I’m still proud of the difference we’re making.”

He encouraged everyone “to find some way to reach out to the vulnerable, because I think you’d be surprised at how much opportunity arises from a crisis like this one.”