Small works of kindness can make for a lifetime of extraordinary service! Volunteer Danilo Perojo lives this day by day and it is dedicated volunteers like him who make the scope of Catholic Charities’ work possible! Because of his tireless commitment, accumulating over 4,000 volunteer hours for Catholic Charities, Danilo has been awarded the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for National Service.

Sr. Marjorie Hebert, President/CEO of Catholic Charities, with Danilo Perojo, recipient of the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for National Service, and wife.

Danilo has been a familiar face and voice with Catholic Charities since November 2011. He is often the first person someone meets when seeking help through our Immigration and Refugee Services. Four full days out of every week, he dedicates to meeting the needs of our indigent and low-income immigrant clientele arriving at our doors.

Danilo arrives at our Immigration Services offices in Metairie, Louisiana at 9:00 am in the morning and begins to return calls from clients who have called during the previous day or over the evening with questions about how they might access resources in our community. As our clients are often recent immigrants with little to no financial resources, social/educational capital, or English language capacity, they rely on Danilo to direct them to assistance. During the day, Danilo will also meet clients to answer their questions, facilitate appointments with staff, assist them in filling out applications, make phone calls on their behalf, provide interpretation in Spanish and English, just to name a few of his many duties. Danilo usually serves up to 30-40 clients a day!

 ‘I am grateful to give back,’ Danilo says. An immigrant himself, Danilo understands many of the challenges faced by the clients he sees each day.

Clients will often travel very long distances in order to come to our offices as a result of the way they are received in love by Danilo.

Day by day, Danilo engages others with a true dedication born of love and kindness and a profound belief that we are judged by how we treat the least among us. His selfless volunteering is an inspirational story of hope that for all of us at Catholic Charities.  Congratulations and thank you for your dedication and service, Danilo!