There is no way to adequately describe the joy Corporal Roxanne Brown Witter felt as she watched children enjoying rides and snacks while receiving much-needed medical attention during a back-to-school treat held recently in Clarendon.
On Sunday, August 9, more than 200 students from the Longville Park community were feted and also benefited from medical, dental and optometric services, courtesy of the Once A Man Twice A Child Foundation, which is her brain child. . The day was not just about the children, as adults also had the opportunity to see the doctor and benefit from the services being offered.
For Brown Witter, a resident of the community who is stationed at the Greater Portmore Police Station, the initiative is another example of how she continues to serve both on the frontline and at the community level.
Brown Witter, in an interview with the Freedom Come Rain Newspaper, said her mantra is guided by Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
A director of prayer and evangelism at the Old Harbour Seventh Day Baptist Church, where she worships, Brown Witter said her passion is to help those who are in need—whether spiritually, emotionally, financially or psychologically.
Sharing the vision behind the foundation, Witter said its aim is to create a supportive and nurturing environment where individuals at every stage of life, from childhood to the aged, can thrive and find purpose through community, care, compassion, partnership and meaningful engagement.
“I have been providing medical supplies, toiletries and other essential supplies for those within Longville Park and Old Harbour,” she said, outlining some of the initiatives the foundation has been carrying out.
Pulling off the back to school treat was challenging and required a great deal of preparation, coordination and hard work. However, the cop is thankful to her team of volunteers, who assisted in making the day the overwhelming success it turned out to be.
She is also expressing gratitude to the sponsors, colleagues within the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), family and friends, as well as the two main sponsors from overseas, whose support helped to make the event possible.
Where It All Began
The seed for the Once A Man Twice A Child Foundation was sown in 2022 during COVID-19, while Brown Witter was stationed at the Old Harbour Police Station. She was tasked by Deputy Superintendent Mark Harris to assist with the distribution of basic food items in the Old Harbour sub-division.
“My God, my heart cried…” she recalled, as she journeyed to one of the vulnerable communities, notably Africa, where she was introduced to an elderly man living in shambles. That experience deeply affected her and strengthened her determination to assist in whatever way she could.
“I started by doing a little here and there by providing basic food items, assisting with medication, providing sanitary napkins, adult diapers and any assistance that I could provide with the limited resources available to me at the time,” she said.
What began as small acts of kindness gradually developed into a larger vision.
In 2024, the foundation became a reality, with the name being given to her by the Holy Spirit. After consulting with her adopted father, Gary Welsh, and under his guidance, it was officially launched in October 2024, on the anniversary month of her enlistment in the Jamaica Constabulary Force in October 2018.
Now, with almost eight years under her belt in the force, Brown Witter has bigger plans for the foundation and even more impact to make.
Her commitment to service extends beyond her work as a police officer. A philanthropist, trained secondary educator, certified paralegal and event planner, she is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in pastoral leadership and ministry, as well as an associate degree in human resource management.
She is also a certified training coordinator with Heart NSTA as well as an advisor to the Longville Park Police Youth Club, which demonstrated true partnership at the treat.
For Corporal Roxanne Brown Witter, service is clearly more than a profession. It is a calling—one that continues to take her beyond the uniform and into the communities where compassion, practical assistance and hope are needed most.