“I don’t know life without serving others.”
Those are the words of La Toya Haskins Cathéy, and they’re fitting. The last week of April is National Volunteer Week, an opportunity to recognize the impact of volunteer service and the power of volunteers to tackle society’s greatest challenges. Cathéy is a shining example of what volunteers bring to our communities in Central Alabama.
Since 2015, Cathéy, an HR Senior Benefits Administrator at Brasfield & Gorrie, has been a member of Women United, a United Way of Central Alabama (UWCA) donor network. Through Women United, Cathéy has done much good work in the community, including helping to build houses with Habitat for Humanity and packing period supplies for a collaborative drive with United Way Hands On. But she has actually been dedicated to service for much longer than that.
Cathéy grew up in Birmingham and attended Sardis Baptist Church throughout her childhood. She, her mother and two brothers often sought solace and shelter at the YWCA Central Alabama to avoid an abusive father. But all the while, young La Toya was a model student, graduating early with honors before going off to Talladega College on a UNCF scholarship.
Through these experiences, Cathéy said she was inspired to help people. From the influence of her service-oriented church to the generosity of the YWCA, Cathéy said caring for others had been ingrained in her.
After a transfer, Cathéy graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and went on to join the Jefferson County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., which she said furthered her desire and ability to serve others.
Then in 2015, she became directly involved with United Way. That was the year that she began working for Brasfield & Gorrie, which is a strong supporter and corporate partner of UWCA. Through her company, her eyes were opened to all the ways that United Way impacts the community and even her own life. That includes her personal experience with UWCA partner agencies, such as the YWCA, Children’s of Alabama, where her son was treated for a bone infection, A.G. Gaston Boys and Girls Club, which she frequented as a child, and The Salvation Army, a source for clothing years ago. She also discovered that Better Basics, where her son worked for three summers, was a United Way partner agency.
“I did not know how impactful United Way was for so many things that I have been a part of — or things that have helped me and my family, even as an adult,” Cathéy said.
She has now become the go-to person for many others seeking information about ways to help in our community.
“If I’m doing something with United Way, I’m posting it online,” Cathéy said. “And I think that because people see me doing this volunteer work, they feel comfortable coming to me to ask what they can do.”
She said that each of her children is also active in volunteer service. “I always say that I want to be able to be a resource for bringing about change. I think that’s trickled down to my kids as well because they definitely do the same thing.”
UWCA’s mission is to increase the organized capacity of people to care for one another and to improve their community. Volunteers such as Cathéy are critical to making that goal a reality.