Feeding the hungry: A bus driver’s tale of good deed!
Every night the hungry, poor, and homeless gather around 44 year old Jorge Munoz’s pick-up truck as he gives out hot meals to feed the hungry, reports a recent CNN news article last Friday.
For four years, Munoz has been feeding the disadvantaged and underprivileged out of the charity of his own heart and pocket. Bus driver by day, angel by night he delivers food to the hungry seven days a week. He estimates having served over 70,000 hot meals to the poor and homeless over the course of the years.
“I thank God for touching that man’s heart” said one of the homeless regulars who claims that Munoz’s hot meal is the only food he gets to eat or he goes hungry that night.
Feeding the hungry inspires many more to join
As news of Munoz’s charity has spread, others too have jumped on the bandwagon. Volunteers from every walk of life have pitched in to feed the hungry and homeless. Munoz is thankful for volunteer support, as crowds of hungry people are increasing due to the economy and food banks are scrambling to keep up with the need and demand for food.
How helping the hungry started
Munoz started his food program Angel in Queens in 2004 after learning of excessive amounts of food being wasted by restaurants every night. By collecting leftovers from local restaurants, Munoz carved way to a food program that would soon touch the lives of thousands of hungry and homeless people.
Now Munoz prepares home cooked meals like chicken and rice right out of his kitchen, relying on the support of food donations he receives from charitable givers. Sadly, however, Munoz reports that support has slowed down a lot recently due to the economy. Munoz is determined, however, to help the homeless regardless. With the support of his family he serves around 140 hot meals a night to feed the hungry.
Munoz funds most of the food operation through his personal savings and his weekly pay check. Food and gas cost him roughly $450 dollars a week, but he continues to give.
“He always comes”, said one of the regulars, whether it’s raining, hot, or cold.
Why feed the hungry?
So why does this charitable giver care so much to help complete strangers? Munoz reminds people:
“I have a stable job, my mom, my family, a house… everything I want, I have. And these guys [don't]. So I just think, ‘OK, I have the food.’ At least for today they’re going to have a meal to eat.”
How can you help feed the hungry?
There are plenty of online resources available to help you locate local food banks or actively volunteer and feed the hungry. We encourage you to fight hunger and poverty in America by supporting local causes and expressing an active voice..
What are your thoughts about hunger in America?
- In your opinion, what are some ways that we can address the problem of hunger in America?
- How can you personally help the hungry?
- Have you ever volunteered at a food bank or soup kitchen? Do you feel there is a great need in America?
- Do you know of people in your local area who are doing something to feed the hungry?
Like this post? Share it with others and help us spread awareness! Email this link, share it in other forums, and tell your friends on Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter! Your voice matters!
http://www.microgiving.com/blog/2009/03/23/feeding-the-hungry-a-bus-driver’s-tale-of-good-deed
23. March 2009 at 10:00 pm :
Another man with a heart of gold!
1. Free nutrition programs targeted for budget meals. They can be offered by WIC and by food banks. I know I was lucky to have free food education because I had a toddler with health problems and I was on a limited income. I had to learn to feed him the healthiest yet cheapest meals possible. WIC hooked me up with the free program offered by an agricultural co-op. From there I did work with lots of dietitians to help my own health needs and that of my son while doing so on very little income. This education was valuable because otherwise I would have been feeding my son unhealthy hot dogs and mac & cheese because that was what I could afford. Many people simply don’t know how to make extremely low cost but healthy meals, they cook what they grew up with and are used to. People grew up in a different time and financial structure, often what they know is not going to help them in this time and with todays costs.
How do I personally help? I do try to share my food ideas but most are really not interested in a diet so I simply give what I can to the food collection bins. I know when my neighbor went from a $10 an hour job to disability after her car accident, her husband was already disabled. They struggled to feed everyone. I tried to teach her healthier meals that would cost less but they were so used to eating the way they always ate that she till this day is borrowing money at the end of the month to feed her family when she really doesn’t have to….she just needs to learn how to prepare meals and use left overs effectively.
I have volunteered for soup kitchens in the past but I don’t do as much physical volunteering as I do giving of gifts to help.
In my local area the churches are the ones who do the most work to help. I have to say honestly that most people I know feel that hunger in America is not quite as serious as shelter so they concentrate less on food needs and more on helping people cover medications so they can get well and work full time again, or help them make back due rent/mortgage/utility payments which is eating into the food allowance, folks will help people get cars running so they can find jobs etc. It seems in my area other factors come into play making the family not have enough for food. By caring for the other needs, you enable the family to feed themselves.
24. March 2009 at 1:02 am :
We has a nation have to pay much more attention to hunger all over this country. When we can more moral support. Also get the media to publised the hunger situation more publicly all over the air waves more often so people can see how bad this epidemic is getting day by day.
I never volunteered at a food bank or soup kitchen. But i would love to experience of doing these things one day when i am fully recovered from my illness. These things are very vital to our society if want to make this nation better. Bucauce there is a lots people in our nation that cannot (Afford A Meal On A Daily Basis) I think this nation have the recourses to do more.
I am sure their group in my area who is diong things to help hunger. However i dont know them personally most of my time is consumed to recovery prosess, thearpy and rehabilitation.
Because of my illness i have learnt this nation need to be be more careing for others in needs.
With that said i hope one day when i fully recovered. I will be a crusader to best of my ability to help others in any kind of needs or wants.
24. March 2009 at 2:09 am :
Wow, what a great guy. Can you imagine if they were more people like him. I wonder what this world would be like?
24. March 2009 at 12:10 pm :
Thanks so much guys for sharing!
24. March 2009 at 12:18 pm :
Yes Jamel, more media coverage! There are plenty of people out there who have a spirit to help others in need, but just not enough awareness to compel activism! And if people are aware of a “need”, many aren’t aware of the available resources to volunteer and make change!!
24. March 2009 at 1:02 pm :
“Many people simply don’t know how to make extremely low cost but healthy meals…”
Becky, you make a great point about “educating” the public of resourceful ways to budget and eat healthy. Knowledge really is empowering!
What did they teach you in that nutrition program??
25. March 2009 at 1:42 am :
Hi April,
The program I was in was named EFNEP Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program. It was a home based program for anyone on food stamps or wic in our county and for parents who had children in the early intervention programs.
We were actually taken out to a local grocery store and taught about unit pricing and buying in bulk. Then were taught how to batch cook large portions of foods and break them into freezer packets that could be used in many different meals. We were taught of course daily requirements versus what we THINK we need daily and how to get our daily needs in smaller amounts but bulk it up with lower cost foods to fill you up if the daily required amounts are not enough to satisfy your hunger. Taught how to make our own breads rather than buying, and of course many ways to use home made bread dough to make meals. Were taught about the farmers markets and how to shop there. Learned how to dehydrate foods before the dehydrator became a counter top appliance. Knowing how to dehydrate meats and store them properly help you take advantage of not only bulk sales, but during storm seasons you can have a back up supply of meat. I learned how to make home made baby foods and how to add veggies your kids hate into desserts they like so you can get nutrients into them on a budget. Did you know you can sneak spinach and broccoli, carrot shreds, nuts, seeds, healthy grains etc florets into a home made chocolate cake!?
Several in my study group had disabled children who needed proper diets and nearly all of us were on WIC. We were taught how to make lots of milk based chowders, home made puddings, custards, milk shakes that hid veggies in them etc to make the most out of the free milk we were getting and later that knowledge helps you make great meals out of left overs in your fridge.
We were also taught that breakfast food isn’t just for breakfast, cereal for dinner was just as healthy as cereal for breakfast and that one portion of meat is really only the size of a deck of cards. Most people eat way more than they actually need to eat.
There is a huge difference between having what the body needs, and having what your body wants. Most people who claim to not have enough to eat, actually could have enough of what their body needs if they knew how to prepare foods that met those needs….but not enough to satisfy the emotional, traditional, or cultural idea of a decent meal. The EFNEP program also addresses this type of starvation with the idea of healthy salads before dinner and desserts and snacks.
A very simple salad before dinner lets you get your digestive juices working and gets the digestive process started. Raw greens take a bit more time to digest so your stomach is working pretty hard at breaking down this salad by the time your main course is laid out. Because your brain knows you just had some food, it’s not such a urgent thing anymore and you will be more satisfied with the dinner quantity.
We were taught not to discuss family matters over dinner such as work, school, gossip etc. Stress leads to over eating, and even if the conversation would be about good things, the stimulation from that can lead to over eating. After the main meal is done we were taught to clean up from dinner, wash the dishes, get kids’ PJ’s laid out for the night. THEN set everyone at the table for dessert and this is when you discuss family things. The idea is to make dinner what it is. A meal to replenish your body’s needs from the day. Not a social event. The dessert becomes the social event and because most desserts are feel good foods and of smaller quantity you can end your budget meal with something that raises your spirits.
A plateful of lettuce/tomato and cucumber for first round….real cheap if you don’t buy bagged salads.
Serving a budget meal of maybe rice with peas and mushrooms not too expensive, top it off with maybe a custard for dessert (nearly free of you are on WIC) and between it all you get your daily nutrients, spread out over one longer drawn out meal (including the dessert) so you are eating less food, yet more nutrients and satisfying the emotional/social eating demand.
That is much of what I learned. I have taken other programs since then as I had to learn about a diabetes diet, heart diet, cholesterol diet, then mammal and dye free diet and had to learn how to do all of this on a limited budget. Medicaid will pay for dietitian programs if prescribed by a doctor. Nearly all hospitals have diet programs that do target high nutrient/low cost and I have never yet seen a doctor who wouldn’t write a script for that.
25. March 2009 at 4:25 pm :
“Also get the media to publised the hunger situation more publicly all over the air waves more often so people can see how bad this epidemic is getting day by day.”
“Yes Jamel, more media coverage!”
The problem with the media is the interest of it all. If it’s not what people want to see, read about, or listen to, it will not be in the media.
I believe, for the most part, people care; however, it can be depressing for those who are watching, listening, or reading. Therefore, they shy away from it instead of continue to build that passionate feeling of urgency that would ultimately cause them to make an effort resulting in that many more lives being changed.
People “naturally” care too much about what others will think of them. Even further, they are out to prove something as the saying goes, “to be better than their neighbor” just because. So inconveniencing themselves to pick others up would hinder them from succeeding materialistically.
What can we do as individuals to get more people to listen and care? Only then could you develop a trend of goodness in this cut-throat and greedy world we live.
The strong will not care what others think and will do what is right. The weak will follow a group with a leader. If we can get strength in numbers, the weak will succumb to doing what is right even if only because it’s popular.
Can we improve the projection of our problem so that it will be desirable to the media AND to the people?
25. March 2009 at 4:39 pm :
“Many people simply don’t know how to make extremely low cost but healthy meals…”
I was thinking about this statement and something odd came to mind. I first thought, “I AGREE.”
Too many people are worried about tasting something good, satisfying all those cravings, then eventually nothing pleases you!
1. I say, make your meal taste good by thinking about it in a different view. I think to myself, “This is nourishing my body. This is what my body and mind want and need.” and all my meals are GREAT!
2. I say, satisfy the cravings of OTHERS and in return you will feel satisfied. If you feel you deserve one special meal, bring someone along that you feel could use a special meal as well! Why not bring others to celebrate your special meal? BUFFET those who are hungry. They will love you! It’s awesome to see hungry people feed at a buffet and what’s it cost you, really?
3. I say, if you ever get to the point where nothing pleases you, you are doing something wrong and need to make a change. If you are not happy, who else could be happy because of you? Make someone else happy and if that doesn’t please you, do it again! Keep doing it, until you are happy within yourself because though you may think it’s just your hunger not satisfied, it is really the giving part of you that is hungry indeed~
25. March 2009 at 5:20 pm :
“how to add veggies your kids hate into desserts they like so you can get nutrients into them on a budget.”
This reminds me… I want you all to consider getting the fruits and vegetables you need daily for about $1.35. Do you think you could do it? How about the feeding frenzy within your family? Does everyone get the proper nutrients their bodies deserve?
I have been giving my family (or at least making it accessible, not to force) the daily value of fruits and vegetables they need for the past 2 years and 5 months now. I have maintained a healthy body and mind to keep internally nourished especially since I cannot afford personal health care. I believe in prevention over medication when applicable. I believe I can help anyone who wants to be helped.
If you care to know more, simply contact me. I consider the information personal so I am reluctant to post it openly. God bless you all~
25. March 2009 at 5:23 pm :
“We were also taught that breakfast food isn’t just for breakfast, cereal for dinner was just as healthy as cereal for breakfast”
Actually, some debate that cereal would be healthier for you if eaten as the last meal instead of the first!
Healthy Grains should be eaten all day for sure~
26. March 2009 at 12:04 am :
I couldn’t aggree with you more Becky.
Our small town has a soup kitchen, When I was able I would help serve, and sometimes cook for the folks in town, who could not even afford to buy things at home to eat.
One day a man we knew who was a engineer for a company here in our town, had come in, with his head hung low, and I said to him, “Bob, why such a sad face, you know you are always weclomed here.” His reply….
“I am a man who went from a high 5 digit paying joy, to nothing in a matter of months.” You see, the company had folded, and Bob had no savings, because he was used to living the high life. In just a few short moths, he lost his job, his home, everything. And now was ashamed, as he could not even afford a meal.
I might be off topic here, but I wanted to share that with you all, and figured this was as good as place as any.
Thanks for Listening,
Sherri
26. March 2009 at 2:43 pm :
Another Angel in deguise…….the love of humanity….
27. March 2009 at 11:45 am :
Great point on #2, JT!
“If you feel you deserve one special meal, bring someone along that you feel could use a special meal as well! Why not bring others to celebrate”
It’s easy to get so wrapped up in our own lives that we forget to think of how we could reach out to others!
5. April 2009 at 12:50 am :
If we could just share what we have it would go such a long way. I know times when we have needed that help and people have been so kind to help and then to help someone in return. You are right that we can wrap up in our own lives and not realize how much we have to give.
Thank you!
13. April 2009 at 12:36 pm :
I see the USA spend so much money on sports. I would love it if sometime all the money they make at a game would go directly to those here that are in need. Yes, we need our entertainment but, think of how many would be feed if some of that money would go to those dying in our own Country. There is such a need and I wish I knew a way I could help out so much more than I do. I struggle weekly to keep my own bills being paid and food in the house. I will do all I can to keep a person from going hungry.
23. April 2009 at 5:47 pm :
2. How can you personally help the hungry?
You can help every day, local grocery stores have food barrels in them. Clean out your pantry and give the thing you know your not going to use to a local food bank. have a food drive yourself to help the local food bank. The lady next door to me goes there every day to help out she is 80 something years old but she gives and gives. Why can we do the same, I am planning to ask her about it as soon as things settle down a bit I want to go and help too. I think this lady is so awesome to do that day after day. If she can I sure as heck can and will.
24. April 2009 at 12:28 am :
I’m so glad to know I’m not the only one who does this. I don’t clean my cupboards because I never do buy food our family won’t eat. I write out menu’s for the next two weeks and buy exactly what I need to prepare each meal and nothing extra. I do however always remember to pick up a few extra things to drop in the bin on my way back to the car. One great offering is kernel popcorn that can make in a pan at home (not microwave stuff) dry popcorn is a great filler for kids between meals, good for cleaning out the digestive tract too. I like to offer up that cheap package of regular popcorn in hopes that families will use it to satisfy hungry kids instead of unhealthy snack foods. Rice is another cheap offering that can be used in so many ways to bulk up limited dinners, can be made into desserts, dropped in jello etc and give kids something beneficial to their diet. Rice, Beans and Popcorn might not seem like great gifts to the hungry but to someone educated in how to use these foods it really is a healthy and hunger satisfying gift.