November Volunteer of the Month: Jose Durazo
Serving others has been in Jose Durazo’s roots since he was a little kid.
Serving others has been in Jose Durazo’s roots since he was a little kid.
Whether he’s at work as a parole officer serving the community, coaching middle school students at his church or granting wishes for children facing critical illnesses, he always feels his best when he can give back to those around him.
“I believe we are called to help one another,” said Jose. “If you can leave an impact on someone’s life, they are going to remember that forever and your story will live through them.”
In fact, Jose’s family experienced the impact of a wish first-hand in 2016, when his brother Emilio wished to have a shopping spree.
“I remember a limo picked us up and took us to Scottsdale Fashion Sqaure, and we shopped until we couldn’t anymore. Seeing the joy and excitement a wish brought my brother was amazing.
“It helped alleviate all the pain he was going through while in the hospital receiving cancer treatment and a year and a half ago, I decided to take a leap of faith as a Make-A-Wish Arizona volunteer and become more involved in whatever capacity I can.”
In his short time so far as a volunteer, Jose has already granted 13 wishes!
“I’ve assisted with wishes for shopping sprees, room makeovers and gaming systems,” he said. “Every single wish is amazing and I’m super grateful to be a part of this organization.”
Jose is also a bilingual wish granter, a huge need for Make-A-Wish Arizona, bringing the impact of a wish to both English and Spanish-speaking families.
“When you can speak a family’s native language, you can relate to one another more and it makes your connection much more personal,” said Jose, who has stayed in touch with several kids and families since their wish was granted one year ago.
I really enjoy being a positive light for these kids. I look forward to building long-term relationships and watching them grow.