Sometimes meaningful service begins with simply paying attention.

After seeing an instagram post from the Christ Child Society of Washington, DC highlighting a critical need for diapers, Georgetown Prep senior Jonathan Fahey felt compelled to act. Without any prompting or requirement, and entirely outside of school-sponsored service, Jonathan decided to organize a diaper drive on his own.

His initial goal was to collect enough diapers to fill the bed of his pickup truck. To make it happen, Jonathan reached out to neighbors, shared the drive with family and friends online, and coordinated with the manager of the Giant grocery store in Bethesda to host a store collection. When he reached his original goal, he didn’t stop, he kept going.

“It was really rewarding to see how willing people were to help,” Jonathan said. “And to know the drive made a direct impact on families who needed it.”

By the end of the drive, Jonathan had collected an astonishing 10,154 diapers—more than triple what many large school-wide drives typically gather.

Gina Maria Schulz P’27, Program Coordinator of the Beloved Babies Layette Program at the Christ Child Society of Washington, DC, was deeply moved by Jonathan’s effort.

“In all my years in this role, I have never witnessed a single student accomplish what Jonathan achieved,” Schulz said. “What followed was far more than a typical service project—it became a community-wide effort led entirely by one determined Georgetown Prep senior.”

Schulz noted Jonathan’s independence and leadership throughout the process, citing his organization of a neighborhood drive, creation of an Amazon wish list, coordination of home pick-ups, partnership with Giant, and continued outreach well beyond his original plan.

Each year, the Christ Child Society distributes more than 166,000 diapers to families experiencing diaper insecurity. Jonathan’s effort alone will help provide diapers for 338 newborns, offering not just supplies, but dignity and stability to families in need.

“Beyond the numbers, what impressed me most was Jonathan’s character,” Schulz added. “He did not do this to earn hours or fulfill a requirement. He saw a problem, took ownership, and built a solution from the ground up with humility, persistence, and integrity.”

Through a simple idea and determined follow-through, Jonathan exemplified Georgetown Prep’s mission of forming Men for Others, showing how one student’s compassion and initiative can make a lasting difference in the lives of many.

Photos: Jonathan and Garrett Fahey '29 at the Giant and Jonathan filling his trick!