Inspiration has many sources. For José Rosario, it comes in the form of knowledge that he can help take care of his family in Puerto Rico.
“I am working on a better future for myself and my family. I have a good career,” he says. “So, I have ways of giving back to them. That’s probably the thing that inspires me to come to work every day.”
Lending a hand to his extended family has been on José’s mind more than usual recently. Hurricane Maria – one of the worst storms in U.S. history – traveled across Puerto Rico Sept. 20, causing fatalities, catastrophic damage, and a total and prolonged loss of power. His family is safe, but the circumstances in Puerto Rico are trying, to say the least.
He is not shy about explaining that his heritage is one in which food plays a central role. “It defines us,” he says.
When family and friends get together, the gatherings are loud and boisterous. “There is dancing. We like to have a good time,” José says, adding, “Food is always involved.”
Though José manages to get back to Puerto Rico once a year, he still “misses it a lot.” It helps that he often cooks his favorite dishes – rice and beans, and plantains – for friends. However, what is absent is the weeks-long celebration of Christmas that takes place in Puerto Rico. Even when José returns for the holiday, he can’t possibly stay long enough to take it all in.
“It starts at Thanksgiving. We meet at my grandma’s house, decorate Christmas stockings and put presents for everyone in there,” he says. Gifts are opened on Christmas Day, with more presents and celebrating on Three Kings’ Day – also known as Epiphany. “After Three Kings’ Day, there is what we call “Octavitas,” says José. “It’s eight extra days of celebrating Christmas.”
His Hormel Foods family helps fill in the gap. “We care about our employees and people [in general],” he says. “We don’t only feed people, we help people in need.”