Published on April 11, 2018 

Idle since Hurricane Katrina and feeling the urge to be productive and do more, Melinda Doucette decided to make a change last fall. She registered to volunteer with Catholic Charities and, living on the Westbank herself, thought Padua House’s Belle Chasse location would be a good fit.

Padua House is a residential program for individuals of all ages with intellectual disabilities who are medically fragile. There, Melinda volunteers her time in the front office filing papers, making copies, inputting data and doing other administrative tasks.

While she enjoys the work, Melinda says her favorite part is the people. When she sees the residents, especially the children, their faces light up. The staff is welcoming, calm and patient. She enjoys spending time with the residents and talking to them when they pass the office.

She appreciates the view Padua House and its residents provide of different lifestyles, different people.

“Being there makes you appreciate what you have,” she says of her time at Padua House. “It’s really an honor to serve there – it’s life at its best.”

Thank you for your service, Melinda!