The Quakes and Wells Fargo are humbled and inspired by the amazing work of our frontline communities and neighbors in this time of crisis. Each week, we’ll be featuring and highlighting the work of one fantastic neighborhood hero, showcasing the great work they are doing and the organizations our community can rally around.
Additionally, a donation will be made to an organization or community project on behalf of each week’s hero. This week we will be donating to JDRF for type 1 diabetes research.
Almost four years ago, Jose Retana began working with Lux Bus as a luxury bus driver for Google employees. His day-to-day job pre-Covid included making stops around the South Bay to pick up and drop off Google employees at the Mountain View campus. On any given day, Jose meets kitchen staff members to top engineers, janitors to attorneys.
The pandemic shut down the need for drivers to and from the Google campus as employees began working remotely. In the meantime, Jose decided to get more involved in community service. Jose’s bosses at Lux Bus reached out to ask if he was available to seize a few volunteer opportunities, such as passing out food to the hungry at church events.
“Anytime there’s need, I don’t mind doing it,” Jose says. “I jump at the opportunity any time I can.”
Jose began doing a lot of work for a local by church passing out food, and has been a part of a new distribution program. This new program will help those without transportation get to the food distribution site. They have also been able to drop meals off at the homes of the elderly or immunocompromised.
Jose has sacrificed his time and energy to help those in need, even if it meant missing out on time with his own family. But not everyone has a heart for service like Jose. “Not a lot of guys do it because they want to stay home with their families,” he says.
Lately Jose has been doing many volunteer drives all over the US, transporting church volunteer groups or the U.S. Army between training facilities and bases. The last big move Jose did was from Tennessee to North Carolina, transporting a special forces and rangers group.
Jose was eager to head back home after his trip, because he was looking forward to celebrating his granddaughter’s 3rd birthday. On his way home, Jose’s bosses called to see if he was available to do another volunteer trip on the east coast. In Florida, Jose would be transporting volunteers and workers repairing power line damage in the southeast caused by Hurricane Sally.
The reroute meant that Jose would have to make the difficult decision between heading home in time for his granddaughter’s birthday, or heading to Florida to transport help to a place of need. After making the call to his family to explain the situation, Jose felt reassured to go on the trip. He promised to hold a separate party for his granddaughter upon his return.
“They diverted my bus from Atlanta to Florida. We were moving all the people who were helping cut down the trees that hit the power lines,” says Jose.
When Hurricane Sally hit the southeast, it left 500,000 without power. Scattered flooding and rampant fallen trees caused many power outages. Jose was able to transport workers around various towns to eliminate the fallen trees and scattered debris.
Over the 10-day trip, Jose was able to witness how his efforts had a positive impact on the affected communities. The sight of his bus meant help was on the way; Jose brought hope and joy to the communities in need of restoration.
“Seeing all the people cheering us on, out on the street, it made it all worth it,” he says.
Jose was able to capture videos of all the people cheering him on in gratitude from the street. Upon his return home, Jose shared the videos with his granddaughter and family.
“That’s the type of thing I like to do— to help out the people that need it,” Jose says.
One of the reasons Jose feels led to serve is from his family and upbringing. Jose learned from his mother that if you see someone in need, you should help them out.
“I've been in their spot, where I didn’t have certain things in my life when I was younger,” says Jose. “It’s a lot easier for me, for other people it doesn't hit their heart to say yes.”
Jose is grateful for an amazing and dynamic job that allows him to meet so many interesting people and see many places. “I had never really traveled, until this job,” he says.
He delights in the newness of each day, seeing all types of beautiful landscapes, from the warm marshes of the southeast coast, to the mountainous plateaus of New Mexico. One of his favorite parts of the job is the ability to meet an ensemble of different people with interesting stories and life experiences.
“That’s all that matters to me,” says Jose, “to help people. I just do it from the heart,” he says.
