WATCH http://tinyurl.com/STJToday
Whittington, ’01) helped me too. We also got in touch with Home At Last, a small organization that assists Boston area individuals to move out of poverty. They helped me contact a social worker so we could set up the distribution, and I found a lawyer to help.” “We were scared Glen would donate all the money to the Boston homeless shelter, so we had to reassure him it was okay to keep the money for himself," Whittington said. "We set up a trust fund and he gets the money in small increments.” While he has been involved in charitable work before, Whittington is quick to point out he is not a full-time philanthropist though he does like to help others when he has the opportunity. “I’ve fed some folks in Richmond, and done stuff through my church. In Montgomery I went on mission trips with Frazer Church and I did the required community service at STJ, through volunteer projects and interpersonal development class. Several teachers helped me with service projects throughout high and middle school.” One of Whittington’s STJ teachers, Cindy Somerville, was thrilled with his involvement in the Glen James story, particularly seeing that her former student was still giving back to others. “At school we’ve always
held service days, teaching students there are people less fortunate than you and that paying it forward and doing for others makes you feel better. But this really caught my attention. Ethan did something for someone that he’d just heard about. He not only raised money for the man but made sure that the man was treated right. I really respect him for that.” And how does Whittington himself look back on his center-stage involvement in the much-publicized Glen James story? “I can’t thank the people who donated enough. It says a lot about humans when we come together to help one individual. There’s a whole lot more that can be done. If we can help this one guy out we can help others. Basically, my faith in humanity has been restored.”
COLUMNS SUMMER 2014
16