16 June 26th - July 2nd, 2025 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Wawro had found the cause he was looking for, pitching in on packaging duties and taking deliveries when needed. “It was so exciting, I got to meet so many people. And it really helped me. My mom taught me something when I was a young man and first looking to find ways to help. She would say, ‘Bruce, every organization needs money to keep going. But, in addition, if you give your time, it brings it back to you, to your heart, and it makes you feel so much better,’” he says. This philanthropy, while personally rewarding, comes with emotional conse- quences. Wawro recalls a particularly hard delivery, where, on a routine visit with a family whose mother was ill with cancer, the son confided that she had died that morning. Seeing the young man in shock and struggling to process the loss, Wawro gently put down the meals on the porch. “I could tell he was, you know, just stuck in that moment. So, I asked if I could give him a hug, and he said, ‘Yes, that would be great,’ and we just stood there and cried. That was a tough one. These people become a part of you somehow, and when they suffer a loss, you feel that, too,” Wawro confesses. In spite of the heartache, Wawro is grateful for the opportunity. “I make sure I thank my daughter regu- larly for putting the Joy Bus Diner in my life. She jokes that I spend too much time here now, but what else can I do?” Wawro says. He notes that as he gets older, he doesn’t know how many more years he will be able to volunteer at his current rate, but he’s determined to try. “I told them that if it comes down to it, I’ll hire an Uber to help me deliver,” Wawro jokes. Helping the helpers As the kitchen door swings to and fro with servers delivering delicious food, volunteers shuffling in and out with bags for those in need, the portrait of Joy looks over the entryway. When asked to describe their relation- ship, and what Joy might think of all of this, Caraway deflects any attention away from herself. “Joy was the life of the party. She was bubbly, wild, considerate and kind. Throughout her entire journey, she was more concerned with the feelings of those around her than her own battle, or at least that’s what she allowed to be shown. I have never seen someone battle so hard with quiet elegance,” Caraway recalls. It seems that, despite the pain, Joy was focused on helping others. This has become the everlasting sentiment that runs through the Joy Bus. Through the diner, and through the delivery of food, people who have lost so much get to serve others, and that brings, in a very literal sense, life to those clinging to it. “I think about what my wife would think about all of this,” Wawro reflects. “I feel that I am still so connected to her, and to my mom too, everyone we lose, really. I think she would just be thrilled with what I have been doing. I get the sense, deep down inside, that she knows what we are doing, that it’s like my mom said, it comes back to our hearts. I feel them in that,” Wawro says. Still, the financial hurdles that the orga- nization is undertaking to expand require a different kind of faith in humanity. The Joy Bus exists only through donations, and with all proceeds from the diner going into the delivery efforts, the Joy Bus organization needs financial contributions now more than ever. While there are big days ahead – including an official opening celebration for the new space on Sept. 28 with Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego cutting the ribbon – the day-to-day operations are dependent on volunteers and donations. Caraway and her staff are confident the Valley will see the value in their work, and in this “all-hands-on-deck” moment, people will head to their website and give what they can. If nothing else, they can come in, grab a bite, and know that they have helped. Lunch service continues, and another wave of volunteers enters the kitchen. In the lobby, an actual 1970s VW Bus sits, deco- rated with the groovy font of the organiza- tion, filled to the brim with flowers and information about Joy Bus initiatives. While this bus can no longer travel, the mission of the Joy Bus rolls on through the highs and lows, the ups and downs of a restaurant that is so much more than just food. The Joy Bus 10401 N. 32nd St. (Closed for summer break July 1-16) The signature Joy Bus of the Joy Bus Diner greets guests as they enter the restaurant. (Zach Oden) On the Move from p 15
