>> >>KYLA: IT'S 6:30ÊA.M. AND JORGE IS ALREADY RUSHING.
HE CAN'T MISS THE NUMBER 7 BUS PULLING AWAY FROM THE CURB AT 37TH AND UNIVERSITY IN SAN
DIEGO'S MID CITY AREA.
IT'S ONLY THE FIRST OF A THREE LEG JOURNEY HE TAKES TO GET TO CLASS AT SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE,
FOUR DAYS A WEEK.
THE 7 TAKES HIM TO THE TROLLEY STOP AT C AND 12TH STREETS DOWNTOWN.
THE TROLLEY TAKES HIM SOUTH TO CHULA VISTA WHERE HE CATCHES THE CROWDED EXPRESS BUS TO
CAMPUS.
IF EVERYTHING WORKS OUT JUST RIGHT, THE TRIP CAN TAKE JUST 45 MINUTES.
SOME DAYS, IT LASTS AN HOUR AND A HALF.
TODAY, HE HAS TIME TO STROLL, NOT SPRINT, TO HIS 8:00ÊA.M. MATH CLASS.
JORGE HAS A CLA CLEAR IDEA OF WHERE HE HOPES HIS LONG COMMUTES ARE TAKING HIM.
>> >>: RIGHT NOW I'M TRYING TO GET MY ASSOCIATES ON EMT PARAMEDIC.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT MAYBE LATER ON PURSUING A CAREER IN MEDICINE.
>> >>KYLA: AND TODAY IS ONE OF THE EASY DAYS.
JORGE ONLY HAS ONE CLASS.
SOME DAYS HE HAS TWO, AND A SHIFT TO WORK AT SMASH BURGER IN HAZARD CENTER, WHICH CAN
BE A TWO HOUR BUS AND TROLLEY TRIP AWAY.
>> >>: AND I HAVE TO RUN FROM HERE TO MY CLASSROOM TO THE BUS STATION, SOMETIMES THE BUS IS THERE,
SOMETIMES NOT, EVEN THOUGH IF YOU CHECK THE SCHEDULES AND EVERYTHING THEY CAN JUST CHANGE
THEM FROM 12 TO 8, AND THEN GET BACK HOME.
USUALLY IT'S LIKE FROM I WORK FROM 6 TO 11, TO CLOSING.
>> >>KYLA: ANOTHER LONG RIDE HOME MEANS JORGE OFTEN DOESN'T FINISH HIS DAY UNTIL 1230 OR
1:00ÊA.M. IF HE ACHIEVES HIS GOALS T WILL BE INSPITE
OF MUCH MORE THAN A DAUNTING COMMUTE.
IN 2010, HIS FATHER PASSED AWAY AND THE STRESS AND GRIEF OF HIS PASSING VEMPUALLY TORE ABOUT
HIS RELATIONSHIPS WITH MOTHER AND BROTHER.
>> >>: ONE DAYÊ I STILL REMEMBER HIM.
I WAS ON UNIVERSITY WITH MY GUITAR CASE Y FILL TD UP WITH CLOTHES AND I WAS LIKE I WASN'T
JUST IN THE CAR, WHAT I WAS INTERESTED IN NOW, WHAT SHOULD I DO, WHERE DO I GO?
>> >>KYLA: HE WAS A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL AND HE WAS HOMELESS.
HE SPENT THAT NIGHT IN A PARK, AND AFTER THAT RELIED ON FRIENDS AND TEACHERS FOR SUPPORT.
>> >>: IT WAS MORE THAN TWO THREE DAYS HERE, ANOTHER DAY THERE, I WAS LIVING LIKE DAY BY
DAY.
>> >>KYLA: ASIDE FROM A STINT STAYING WITH AN AUNT, LIVING DAY TO DAY IS HOW JORGE HAS
SPENT MUCH OF THE TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
HE SAYS HAVING HOPE IS THE ONLY WAY TO WEATHER HIS SITUATION.
>> >>: I ALWAYS HAVE THIS MENTALITY OF IT COULD BE WORSE, AND ALSO THIS CAN IMPROVE.
SO THAT ALWAYS KEEPS ME GOING.
>> >>KYLA: THINGS ARE IMPROVING.
HE'S NOW STAYING WITH A FRIEND PERMANENTLY AND HOPES TO SAVE UP ENOUGH FOR THE FIRST
FEW MONTHS RENT IN A PLACE OF HIS OWN.
THE DAZE OF ANXIOUSLY ANTICIPATING OF WHEN THE NEXT BUS OR TROLLEY MIGHT COME ARE ALSO
COMING TO AN EAND THAJS TO THE TEACHERS.
HE WAS CHOSEN TO GET A CAR.
THROUGH A NATIONAL PROGRAM CALLED RECYCLE RIDES.
AND AT THE CAR UNVEILING A FEW DAYS LATER IT'S CLEAR HIS STORY STRUCK A CORD WITH THE
TECHNICIANS AND STAFF WHO DONATED TIME AND MONEY TO GET THE CAR READY.
>> >>: THIS YOUNG MAN'S PERSEVERING AND JUST REALLY, YOU KNOW, PURSING PAST ALL THE BARRIERS.
AND THIS ONE GIFT WILL HELP HIM.
>> >>KYLA: THAT'S MIKE QUIN.
HE HEADS COMMUNITY RELATIONS FOR CALIBER COLLISION.
HE SAYS THE COMPANY GIVES AWAY ONE OR TWO CARS A MONTH THROUGH THE RECYCLED RIDES PROGRAM,
BUT THE STAFF OFTEN DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THE CAR IS ENOUGH.
>> >>: THERE'S A LOT OF THE ASSOCIATES, TEAM MEMBERS, THAT GAVE 20 DOLLARS, TO COME UP
WITH A THOUSAND DOLLARS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>> >>KYLA: THOSE PERSONAL DONATIONS ADDED UP TO GIFT CARDS, CASH, AND A LAPTOP JORGE
FINDS WHEN HE OPENS THE CAR'S TRUNK.
DURING HIS FIRST TEST DRIVE, JORGE SEEMS MORE IMPRESSED BY THE PEOPLE THAT THAN THE GIFT
THEY'VE GIVEN HIM.
>> >>: IT'S PRETTY AWESOME TO MEET ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT WERE HELPING ME OUT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW WHAT THEIR FACES LOOK LIKE.
>> >>KYLA: THE CAR WILL SAVE HIM TIME WHICH JORGE SAYS HE'LL USE TO PICK UP AT LEAST ONE
EXTRA COURSE IN COMING SEMESTERS.
THAT COULD CUT A YEAR OR MORE OFF HIS TIME TO AN ASSOCIATES DEGREE.
AND HE SAYS HE'LL FEEL SAFER DRIVING.
HE SAYS IT MEANS EVEN MORE TO HIM.
>> >>: FOR ME THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A CAR, IT'S LIKE A SIGN SAYING THAT I'M DOING THINGS
RIGHT AND THAT I SHOULD KEEP ON GOING.
>> >>KYLA: NOW HE'LL JUST BE GETTING THERE FASTER.
KYLA CALVERT, KPBS NEWS.