Page 61 - FDCC Flyer Summer 2021

FDCC News
Marc Harwell
The Harwell Law Group, PLLC Chattanooga, TN
“The unselfish effort to bring cheer to others will be
the beginning of
a happier life for ourselves.” Helen Keller.
food and protection day-in and day-out. I wanted to give a couple of exceptional local restaurants financial assistance through work during the loss and the stress of the pandemic.
I reached out the Partnership for Families, Children, and Adults, which is headed by a friend, Pam Ladd. The Partnership provides temporary shelter to victims of domestic violence and to people who have suffered the loss of shelter due to emergency circumstances. I reached out to the owner of Il Primo and the Public House to determine whether professionally prepared meals by a local restaurateur might be provided each Friday night to the residents and the staff of the Partnership.
When I founded the Harwell Law Group, I published my commitment to donate to charity. Toward that commitment, the Harwell Law Group paid for the first two Friday night dinners beginning on May
8, 2020 and fed approximately 94 victims with delicious dinners from the regular menu of Il Primo. As of January 29, 2021, we have funded the dinners in whole and in part a total of 10 times.
To try to sustain the gift for as long as possible during a pandemic of unknown length, I reached out in May 2020 to lawyers in Chattanooga who worked primarily for the defense and to lawyers who worked primarily for plaintiffs. Friends from both the plaintiff and from
the defense bar were quick to respond and commit to a Friday night’s dinner. Though often legal adversaries in the practice of law, the hearts of all were generous and
kind.
Other members of the community that I called upon likewise responded, and the rest has become a rewarding assist in history – nothing great or compelling but welcomed. My friend, Nathan Lindley, who owns the two restaurants that have been helped, received the following note after one of the first Friday night dinners:
“I just wanted to let you know that I was blessed this evening with a meal from your restaurant. My son and I stay at a shelter in town for domestic violence victims, and we all received a meal from Il Primo this evening. It was very delicious. I don’t know if it was directly from you or if someone else donated
it, but either way many thanks! I love what you all are doing for the community and just wanted you to know that it is appreciated!! God bless!!”
She had attended high school many years ago with this restaurateur and was comforted with the food and by the thought that someone cared. He and his staff were touched.
At the time of this writing, the #FeedThePartnership campaign has provided delicious nourishment
for 37 weeks, has fed 1,438 victims of domestic violence, and has contributed over $30,000 to two local restaurants.
Personally, I have been gratified by just trying to do a good, albeit small, thing for others. The lessons that have been reinforced are that the act of giving is comforting; thinking of how one might effectively help another takes a person out of self and into community; and working
Beginning in April 2020, my wife, Holly, and I had to
quarantine for approximately four weeks. Though separated from family, friends, co-workers, etc., we had the company of each other and two spoiled cats. The isolation from everyone else provided time to consider the needs of others and highlighted the importance
of community – our shared brotherhood and sisterhood.
On April 12, severe thunderstorms and at least one tornado with winds up to 120 mph ravaged the Chattanooga area and left at least 9 dead, 20 hospitalized, and dozens among dozens homeless due to the loss of around 150 buildings (50 were Alzheimer’s patients at an assisted living facility).
I felt empathy for a group in our community that seemed to me to be among the loneliest and most isolated – victims of domestic violence and people without shelter due to the storms. Restaurants were struggling to survive the COVID-19 lockdowns and then slowdowns. Servers had experienced weeks without pay and the reward of a good day of work with friends and for patrons.
I wanted to help – to provide at least one thoughtful comfort per week to the victims and to those wonderful people who work to give the struggling room and
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