By José Acuña ’20
THE ROUNDUP
After seeing a homeless person begging for money, Dawson Dewar ’19 decided to start the Brown Bag Club, which delivers “care packages” containing basic necessities for those on the streets.
The basic necessities consist of everyday supplies like toothpaste and soap. Just recently, they have added Valley Metro bus passes to the brown bags.
“The way the club works is that we meet once a month on Wednesday to fill up as many brown bags as we can,” said Dewar. “Students can then take them to homeless people on the street or homeless shelters.”
Additionally, the club gatherings are accompanied by lunch catering and music.
“Personally, I give the brown bags to people I see on the streets while I’m driving,” said Ethan Smith ’19. “It’s a really good feeling when you’re giving them the things they need like shampoo and razors, and not just money that can be used for drugs and alcohol.”
The Brown Bag Club also raised money for the André House, a non-profit homeless shelter, and have made seven hundred brown bags for the homeless this year.
“We are closing in on two thousand dollars raised for the André House,” Smith said.
When asked what motivated him to start the Brown Bag Club, Dewar said it was knowing that you are providing something these people actually need.
“When you give a homeless person money, you don’t know where that money is going to, so why not give them something they need everyday on the streets,” Dewar said.
Dewar also added that his freshman year, there was a Brown Bag Club but it wasn’t well organized so he decided to take up the role and bring it back to life.
“I saw what students wanted to do as a connection to the Grad at Grad and the mindset that we hope you guys will leave Brophy with,” said Brown Bag Club moderator Mr. Chad Unrein. “I’ve passed out a few of the bags to the homeless myself, and giving someone in need a simple care package is a lot better than staring past them and pretending they don’t exist.”
Anyone is welcomed to join the Brown Bag Club and should email Dawson Dewar ’19 or Mr. Unrein for further information.
