Mrs. Betty: CCUSA 2026 Volunteer of the Year Finalist
In March of 2026, Catholic Charities of Acadiana’s Volunteer Development Manager, Sarah Baquet, sent in an application to nominate a volunteer for Catholic Charities USA’s Volunteer of the Year. Here is an excerpt from the application:
“‘Mrs. Betty’ volunteers at Catholic Charities of Acadiana’s St. Joseph Diner, where we serve nearly 350 free, hot, nutritious meals, three times a day, seven days a week. Mrs. Betty, 84 years old, is there nearly every day from breakfast until close. Her presence is as steady as our commercial cookstove. She is only absent when we ask her family to please make her rest! St. Joseph Diner is as lively as a New Orleans’ “second line,” and Mrs. Betty is the first one behind the band—not that she would classify herself as a leader. On the contrary, she tries to stay in the background. Mrs. Betty cleans, sweeps, mops, scrubs, and takes out trash. She receives, inventories, and organizes donated food. She pans frozen food, cuts sausage, slices bread, and individually wraps hundreds of fresh sweet potatoes in tinfoil. She scrubs pots, washes dishes, dries trays, and re-stocks shelves. This is just what she does in the kitchen! In the dining room she visits—offering a smile and an encouraging word or arm around the shoulder. She re-fills water glasses, clears empty food trays, and has even been known to butter clients’ bread for them! Mrs. Betty offers five-star service that Gordon Ramsey would admire! And Mrs. Betty teaches! It is common to witness Mrs. Betty leaning in close to a new volunteer, animatedly sharing tips and tricks of the job they’re tackling. Her warmth makes others comfortable. Her careful instruction integrates new volunteers quickly as competent members of the team!”
When asked to describe how this nominee fulfills the mission of Catholic Charities, this was Sarah’s description:
“Mrs. Betty fulfills this mission of Catholic Charities daily through the committed service to feed the hungry. When I think of St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta’s quote ‘Do small things with great love,’ I think of Mrs. Betty. Mrs. Betty, 84 years old, stands 4’ 11” tall. She is smaller than St. Mother Teresa herself! Small Mrs. Betty does small things and she does them with great love! She cares deeply for the common good, and extends that care to those who eat in the St. Joseph Diner, each staff member she serves alongside, and each volunteer she welcomes. Her advocacy comes in the form of recognizing the image and likeness of God in each individual and treating them in accordance with his/her full dignity as a human being created and loved by God. She calls the entire church and all people of goodwill to action by her example.
‘Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses,’ said Pope Paul VI. By Mrs. Betty’s witness others are daily influenced to also live into the mission of Catholic Charities. I once asked Mrs. Betty, ‘How do you do it, Mrs. Betty?!’ She smiled and laughed saying ‘There’s no secret, you just DO it!’ And in Mrs. Betty’s case, you do it with joy, a witty word, a lively story, and a laugh!”
Regarding how the nominee impacts the community, this is what was said of her:
“When my young daughter volunteered, she was shy with all the new people. Mrs. Betty took her by the hand and drew her out of my office. Not 10 minutes later, I saw the two of them in the kitchen giggling while washing some pretty dirty pans. My daughter told me later that Mrs. Betty was the only old person that she liked as a friend. There has got to be something special about a person that can take the most reluctant among us and quickly turn them into a friend while doing hard work.” - Bobby, Food Service Director
“Mrs. Betty often notices when a client is having a bad day. She turns their sorrow into joy with a kind word or warm smile. Often, clients walk up to the counter just to ask if Miss Betty can come out and talk. She never hesitates!” - Matthew, Homeless Outreach Coordinator
“Mrs. Betty doesn’t show up to St Joseph Diner for recognition, but simply to serve. She reminds us that service is not about age, ability, or convenience — it is about heart. She is a blessing and the “queen” of “The Diner.” We love her dearly!” - Miranda, St. Joseph Diner Staff Member
“What a lovely person! We should all strive to be like her!” - Ken, St. Joseph Diner Volunteer
“At 84 years young, Mrs. Betty is the heart and joy of St. Joseph Diner! She volunteers nearly every day, bringing unmatched dedication, a tireless work ethic, and a spirit that lifts everyone around her. If anyone deserves the CCUSA Volunteer of the Year Award, it’s Mrs. Betty! We are beyond grateful for her and the joy she brings to us all.” -Todd, Director of St. Joseph Diner
“Of the many variables throughout the workday, Mrs. Betty’s witty humor and work ethic foster a sense of stable comfort for everyone in St. Joseph Diner. Her carefree nature brings ease to any she happens to bump into. Above all else, her willingness to help and embrace the events of the day keeps the diner operating happily!“ - Damion, St. Joseph Diner Staff Member
“My favorite time of day is clean-up because Mrs. Betty and me save the used foil from the shift and have a basketball shoot out using the trash can and balled-up foil. After working all day, she beats me almost every time!” - Will, St. Joseph Diner Cook
“Mrs. Betty is a true treasure and joy to work with! Despite having to arrange for transportation across town to get to St. Joseph’s Diner, she volunteers on multiple days. She always meets us with a smile and hug. That joy is also directed toward the clients that she interacts with. Mrs. Betty also goes wherever she is needed and requires very little direction. I have seen Mrs. Betty do everything from prepping food, serving clients and preparing meals for delivery to washing dishes, mopping Floors, and even breaking down boxes. She is truly amazing. In addition to all her hard work, she has great sense of humor. We miss her when she’s not around to brighten the day! Mrs. Betty often meets me at the door. She is always reaching past me for the heavy bags. She always tells me ‘I have to keep trying to do things!’ Mrs. Betty always brightens my day when she greets me!” - Joe & Denise, St. Joseph Diner Volunteers
Sarah’s response on how the work of the nominee reflects innovative or unique approaches to helping those in poverty:
“Cajuns, by nature, are quite innovative. No matter the lack of resources, a Cajun can find a way to make what is needed. Mrs. Betty is Cajun.
Yesterday I caught Mrs. Betty cleaning the food splatters off the wall behind our cooking appliances. Great idea! The innovation she came up with to accomplish this? Maybe not so much. To reach the splatters on the wall, Mrs. Betty perched atop the most stable surface she could find—the closed-lid of our 50-gallon tilt skillet. With a self-control that belied my interior shock and concern, I convinced her that the clients did not have a taste for ‘Betty Gumbo’ for lunch, and it would be best for her to find another way to get the wall clean. This whole scenario was clearly contrary to any safety regulation ever written, but if we’re talking about innovation in the name of love, I think this qualifies!
On another occasion I caught Mrs. Betty reaching into the diner trash can with her gloved hands. Wide-eyed I exclaimed, ‘Mrs. Betty, WHAT are you doing?!’ She smiled and told me she was collecting the leftover breakfast sausage patties that were no longer able to be served to clients. Alarmed, I declared, ‘Mrs. Betty! you can’t eat those!’ She laughed loudly and said, ‘They’re not for ME! I’m collecting them to feed to the homeless dogs outside.’ Love, indeed, knows no bounds.”
On the nominee’s commitment to service:
“40-50 hours spent volunteering at St. Joseph Diner every week. No pay. If that’s not commitment, I don’t know what is. St. Joseph Diner is Mrs. Betty’s second home, her preferred place to be. Her life, at this stage, is literally given away in service. Even when she has experienced major set backs, she does not fail to show up at St. Joseph Diner. ‘Love shows up,’ and Mrs. Betty is the prime example of love by her constant presence!
Mrs. Betty should be the Volunteer of the Year because no one embodies the heart of our work, or the humility of a servant as she does. Mrs. Betty began to volunteer at St. Joseph Diner when her husband of 57 years passed away. She chose to process her grief through serving others, and Catholic Charities of Acadiana is blessed enough to be the beneficiary of her love. Mrs. Betty gives her (literal) ‘widow’s mite’ (Mark 12:41-44) at St. Joseph Diner every day, and she simply deserves the honor of being chosen as CCUSA’s Volunteer of the Year. Our staff often talks about what we can do to say thank you to Mrs. Betty for all she does for us. All our ideas seem to fall short. A birthday celebration isn’t enough. A gift isn’t adequate. Daily hugs just scratch the surface. ‘Volunteer of the Year,’ now that feels about right! Mrs. Betty is the best example of the heart of our work. Small things. Great love. She is ‘salt and light’ in St. Joseph Diner.”