A Bronx man has spent his life volunteering in the borough and in Puerto Rico.

Hector Pereira decided to join the Red Cross as a volunteer after Superstorm Sandy in 2014, and he’s now taking his service to another level.

“I feel compelled to give and that’s something that motivates me as an individual,” Pereira says.

The Puerto Rican native has volunteered for the Red Cross’s Bronx Disaster Action Team, helping people displaced because of fires or other disasters.

He hopes his outreach can be an example to others. Pereira was deployed back to Puerto Rico in 2017 when Hurricane Maria hit.

“I needed to go back to Puerto Rico to help my people, and I needed to do something,” Pereira says.

He says he is thinking of helping out internationally.

Pereira is an immigration officer, but he plans to retire this year to spend more time volunteering.