While most people were celebrating the holidays at home, Newton County Sheriff Ezell Brown and deputies were out and about in a unique capacity. While patrolling the streets of Newton County, members of the Sheriff’s office were definitely in the spirit of giving.
“Since the deputies will be on duty for Christmas, I would like to give them the ability to feel truly good about the work they do and to give back in the community through our Random Act of Kindness Initiative,” Brown said.
The mission of the Random Act of Kindness Initiative is to bridge the gap between law enforcement and citizens by offering a kind gesture when needed most. Newton County deputies showed the human relations aspect of the job one empathetic act of kindness at a time.
Success stories of the Random Act of Kindness Imitative:
- A deputy was dispatched to a suspicious person call at a store on Hwy 36 around 10 p.m. one evening. The suspicious person, reportedly homeless, was cold, hungry and sleeping in an abandoned building. It was a very cold night prompting the deputy to buy the man some food and three blankets. The deputy checked back in on him around 3 a.m. that morning to make sure he was alright.
- Two deputies purchased groceries for a family which did not have any food in their home and no money to purchase food with.
- Sheriff Brown received a call from a male senior citizen who was traveling to Augusta to visit his sick wife in the hospital. The man lost his way and ended up about 100 miles out of the way and ran out of gas in South Carolina. At the time Sheriff Brown received a call from the man a police officer pulled up. Brown asked the police officer on scene to give some funds for gas and he would return the money. The officer was able to give the man $5 to get off the roadway and Sheriff Brown was able to contact some people who lived in the area and get him enough money to get back on his way from South Carolina.
The Random Act of Kindness Initiative was initiated in 2018 and is funded by anonymous private donors who believe in giving back.
This program allows the deputies to assist by meeting some immediate needs of those who are hungry, homeless and/or shivering in the cold. It is the belief of the Newton County Sheriff’s Office that being able to provide a hot meal or makes a difference to those who need it.
To donate to this cause, please send donations to Deputies Who Care-Random Act of Kindness Initiative, 15151 Alcovy Road, Covington, Ga.