Jorge Muñoz (Colombian politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jorge Muñoz Zapata
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| Member of the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia | |
| In office 21 September 2015 – 21 December 2015 |
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| Constituency | Colombian expatriates |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 March 1964 Palmira, Valle del Cauca, Colombia |
| Nationality | Colombian-American |
| Political party | Independent Movement of Absolute Renovation |
| Parent | Blanca Doris Zapata |
| Relatives |
Luz Helena Muñoz Zapata (sister)
Justin Schipe (nephew) |
| Residences | New York City, United States |
| Occupation | School bus driver, philanthropist and politician |
| Awards | CNN Hero 2009 Presidential Citizens Medal 2010 |
Jorge Muñoz Zapata, born on March 23, 1964, is a kind-hearted Colombian-American who helps others. He is known as a philanthropist, which means someone who gives their time and money to make life better for other people. He is also a politician.
Jorge Muñoz started a special non-profit group called An Angel in Queens Foundation. This group gives free, warm, home-cooked meals to people who are hungry in Queens, New York. By 2009, he had already given out over 70,000 meals since 2004!
Because of his amazing work, Jorge Muñoz was named one of the CNN Heroes in 2009. On August 4, 2010, he received the Presidential Citizens Medal from President Barack Obama. This is the second highest award a regular person can get in the United States. He also received an award from the Congress of Colombia.
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Helping Others: Philanthropy
Many people call Jorge Muñoz a "real-life angel" because he is so dedicated to helping others. Every day, he cooks and gives out free hot meals to hungry people in Queens, New York.
How It Started
Jorge Muñoz began his helpful work in 2004. He noticed that a lot of good food was being thrown away in some places. At first, he collected food from local shops and gave meals to people who needed them three nights a week.
As time went on, his mother, sister, and some friends joined him. With their help, he was able to offer food every single day. Jorge Muñoz uses a big part of his own salary to pay for his charity work. Sometimes, other people also give him donations to help.
In 2006, Jorge Muñoz officially created the An Angel in Queens Foundation. This non-profit group works to solve the problem of hunger for people who are less fortunate in New York City.
Awards and Recognition
Jorge Muñoz says that more people learned about his kind actions after his story was shared by the New York Times newspaper. After that, his work became even more well-known.
He was chosen as one of the Top 10 CNN Heroes in 2009. Then, in 2010, people in the United States nominated him for the Presidential Citizens Medal. Over 6,000 people were nominated, and Jorge Muñoz was one of only 13 people to receive this special medal.
In 2012, the Senate of Colombia gave him the Order of the Congress of Colombia in the Degree of Knight. This award recognized his efforts to help Latin immigrants in New York City. In the same year, he was honored as one of the 100 most outstanding Colombians living outside Colombia. This happened at a ceremony with President Juan Manuel Santos.
Jorge Muñoz has received many other awards and honors. These include being recognized for his excellent moral values by the Assembly of the Valle del Cauca Department. He also received an award for his humanitarian work in the United States. The Mayorship and City Council of Manizales gave him the Freedom of the city.
Political Work
Jorge Muñoz has also been involved in politics. He was a candidate for the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia in 2010. He ran to represent Colombians who live outside of Colombia, known as expatriates. He came in second place in that election, getting 8,197 votes.
He ran again in the 2014 Colombian parliamentary election to represent Colombian expatriates. This time, he was the main candidate for his political group, the Independent Movement of Absolute Renovation.
From September to December 2015, Jorge Muñoz served as a temporary Congressman. He took the place of Congresswoman Ana Paola Agudelo García during that time.
About Jorge's Life
Jorge Muñoz was born in Colombia into a family that didn't have much money. When he was a teenager, his father passed away in an accident. Because of money problems, his mother moved to New York to find a better life.
Jorge followed his mother to New York to find work and help his family. He officially became a legal resident in 1987. Later, he, his mother, and his sister all became citizens of the United States. Today, Jorge Muñoz works as a school bus driver. He is also a member of the Church of God Ministry of Jesus Christ International.
See also
In Spanish: Jorge Muñoz Zapata para niños
