The World We Share: Meet Helen and Jaime 

The work never stops for Helen and Jaime, the dynamic duo behind Lucky Money, one of Ria’s long-time, trusted partners. Our star agents started out catering to the Filipino diaspora, establishing themselves as leaders within their community. But as Jaime recalls, all the stars aligned when Lucky Money met Ria. “I’ve been here for 20 years. Helen for 30 years. Then Ria came in, and it was as big as we could imagine.” 

Because Helen and Jaime understand just how important it is for our customers to send money home, they insisted on keeping the store open during the interview. The bells chime in often, announcing the arrival of yet another Lucky Money regular. Helen urges them in and even introduces us to one of her customers, whom she calls the “stockholder”.  

“I’m just a regular. I’m lucky to be a regular, actually, sending money to the Philippines,” the stockholder shares with a smile as he heads out, money transfer sent and coffee in hand. 

From OFW to Ria money transfer agents

The energy inside the Lucky Money shop is magnetic. Despite the difficulties that surely precede each money transfer, customers walk in with the same sense of familiarity as if it were their own home and often leave with a smile on their faces.  

“I work hard here and then support my family in the Philippines and my family here,” says Helen. “I never imagined owning this place, so I guess I’ve already received the good things I wanted [in life]. Maybe when we’re old and using a cane, we’ll still be here.” 

Though they’ve been working together for decades, Jaime and Helen’s stories actually intertwined much earlier. They both studied at the same boarding school and university in the Philippines but decided to migrate at different times and for different reasons. 

Moving to California

In Jaime’s case, he decided to move to the United States after his children were born. While he was doing okay for himself in Manila, he felt he could offer his kids a better future with more opportunities if he moved abroad. At first, his wife wasn’t too convinced, but it helped that Jaime had many siblings living in the States already.  

In the end, they sold their belongings, closed down their business, and crossed the Pacific Ocean in search of greener pastures. Today, Jaime’s children are successful college graduates and living the American dream.  

Helen studied business management in the Philippines before moving to the States following her parents’ encouragement. Once in California, Helen started working the graveyard shift at a hotel.  

As fate would have it, one December 23^rd, Helen went to send money home at a competitor’s store but her transaction couldn’t be completed. The store teller suggested she try Lucky Money. Helen rushed over, worried that she wouldn’t be able to reach her loved ones in time for Christmas Eve, but Lucky Money came to the rescue and her niece received the money on the same day. For some reason, the store teller immediately suggested that Helen apply for a job at Lucky Money. 

The store teller’s intuition was right. Not only has Helen been Lucky Money’s branch manager since 1997, but she’s known by customers as Auntie Helen because beyond helping them with their transactions, Helen has been a shoulder to lean on for the many customers who’ve walked into Lucky Money in the past thirty years.  

Reunited at Lucky Money

Jaime also joined Lucky Money after becoming a customer and bought the place with Helen in 2021 after the owner decided to hand over the keys. Today, they are proud to carry on the Lucky Money legacy and dream of opening a second branch.  

For Jaime and Helen, the most difficult part of settling in California was finding a place to live and getting around without a car. Of course, they also miss home, especially during the Christmas season, which in the Philippines starts as early as September.  

There are many family gatherings they miss out on, and it’s especially hard for Helen who hasn’t been to the Philippines in years. She hopes to travel back soon so she can bring flowers to her father’s grave.  

While working seven days a week is rough, Helen and Jaime feel fulfilled both with the relationships they’ve been able to establish with their customers and communities and for the opportunities they’ve helped create for their loved ones in the U.S. and back home.  

We encourage you to watch this rare installment of The World We Share, where you’ll get to experience what it’s like to step foot into Lucky Money.  

At Ria, we are deeply thankful to Helen and Jaime for taking care of our customers with such dedication and cheerfulness. At the end of the day, the most important thing for us is that our customers feel confident about where their money goes, and a big part of that is creating an environment in which they can feel seen, understood, and valued. 

If you need to send money and are in the Los Angeles area, Helen and Jaime will be happy to assist you at their Lucky Money branch!

And, if you’re interested in becoming a Ria money transfer agent, check out partnership page to learn more.