I work at Toyota Motor North America, which is devoted to the communities in which it serves and supports, including the Los Angeles LGBT Center for quite some time.
My company donated $100,000 to assist the Center’s vital work during COVID-19, including $25,000 to support the Center’s HIV and AIDS related services as part of this year’s AIDS/LifeCycle, which was held virtually due to COVID-19.
At the beginning of the pandemic, a lot of Toyota employees, including myself, were looking for some way to help people. I learned about the Center’s Hello Club in which volunteers call seniors to check in on them.
I love volunteering and helping others. The Hello Club allows me to use all of my communication and social skills. I love to talk with somebody, make them laugh, disengage some of their stress, and discuss what is currently going on in our world and how to move forward.
Many of these seniors are alone, sheltering, and not able to socially interact. So, having the opportunity to talk with them and lift up their day results in something much greater than yourself.
There was one couple I spoke to who could not find housing anymore due to COVID-19 hitting—they had gone from being in a stable situation to having to live in a hotel. Essentially, they are homeless now and can’t afford food. Being able to get them in touch with someone at the Center to get resources was a huge deal for me.
Callahan is a Technical Analysis Group Administrator for
Toyota Motor North America. In addition to its generous donations, the global company delivered personal protective equipment (PPE) face shields for Center employees.