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Juan Pablo Romero Fuentes Thanks JustWorld for Making Him a 2014 Top 10 CNN Hero of the Year

Emmy Award Winning News Anchor Anderson Cooper and Juan Pablo Romero Fuentes. Photo courtesy of Juan Pablo Romero Fuentes.

CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute Hosted by Anderson Cooper Airs Sunday, December 7 at 8 p.m. EST

December 5, 2014 – Wellington, FL – Juan Pablo Romero Fuentes was only 23 years old when he converted his family’s home into a safe haven for the children of Jocotenango and the outlying community in Guatemala. The building offers more than education for the students: it is a shelter away from the everyday street violence, drug dealing and illegal activities that continue to plague a country recovering from a 36-year civil war, rooted in high crime rate and public corruption. On Sunday, December 7, 2014, Romero Fuentes will earn an immeasurable honor for being a Top 10 CNN Hero of 2014. The star-studded CNN Heroes: An All Star Tribute took place Tuesday, November 18, at the iconic American Museum of Natural History in New York City and airs globally on Sunday, December 7, at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Romero Fuentes will join fellow CNN Top 10 Heroes on stage during the eighth annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute, hosted by Anderson Cooper, where he will be spotlighted as a CNN Top 10 Hero.

Moments such as these symbolize the life-changing impact JustWorld has through their influential work in disadvantaged countries. Romero Fuentes was the only Hero nominated from Latin America for his good works.

Highlights of the evening will include musical performances by multi-platinum vocalist Trisha Yearwood, who will perform her new single, PrizeFighter, and by nine-time Grammy-Award winning guitarist and singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow.

Los Patojos will receive $25,000 in recognition of Romero Fuentes and JustWorld’s avant-garde work to positively impact the lives of children in Guatemala. A never before seen video of Romero Fuentes’ work at Los Patojos will be introduced by Latino born American actor John Leguizamo.

Viewers can also look forward to celebrity presenters Benedict Cumberbatch, Taye Diggs, Christina Hendricks, Rosie Perez, Kelly Ripa, Kathy Griffin, Uzo Aduba, Morgan Spurlock and Questlove.

Viewers are encouraged to donate to Juan Pablo’s project, Los Patojos, during the CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute. CNN Heroes sponsor Subaru will match each dollar donated, up to a total of $250,000, starting at 8:00 p.m. EST on Sunday, December 7th. The matching dollars will be divided, proportionately, among the Top 10 non-profits. The maximum individual donation eligible for matching is $5,000. For any donations made in larger amounts, Subaru will match the first $5,000. To be eligible, donations must be made through Amazon Payments via CNNHeroes.com. Donations will be accepted through Amazon Payments on the CNN Heroes website, transaction-free, through December 31, 2014.

Los Patojos has helped more than 1,000 children from the streets of Jocotenango, located just outside of Antigua, Guatemala’s former capital. Aptly named “The Little Ones”, JustWorld International has supported Los Patojos since 2008, helping to provide education, nutrition, health and hygiene as well as leadership and cultural development programs for children and young adults aged 4 to 21. It offers access to knowledge in a safe and artistic environment that promotes learning, growth, and development in an encouraging and empowering way. Through Romero Fuentes’ work, commitment and pioneering vision, JustWorld has opened new doors for children in need, providing hope within the walls of Los Patojos.

The Peabody Award-winning and Emmy-nominated CNN Heroes initiative honors individuals who are making extraordinary contributions to help improve the lives of others. Since its inception, CNN Heroes has received tens of thousands of submissions from more than 100 countries and profiled more than 200 heroes. It is because of JustWorld supporters, as well as friends, family and fans of Juan Pablo Romero Fuentes, that Los Patojos has the opportunity to shine as a beacon of hope during the broadcast.

This is the second time a JustWorld project’s founder has been named a CNN Top 10 Hero, demonstrating the real impact JustWorld makes every day on those in need worldwide. In 2008, Phymean Noun, founder of the People Improvement Organization (PIO), was awarded this title and received a grant to continue her work in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. PIO funds life-changing education, nutrition, health and hygiene, as well as leadership and cultural development programs at two schools: Stung Mean Chey and Borey Keila. JustWorld has continued to act as a major supporter of PIO since 2004, funding the construction of and supporting operational costs for the two schools. With JustWorld’s crucial assistance, PIO has helped more than 1,000 children pave their way to a brighter future.

To donate to Los Patojos, the JustWorld Guatemala Project Partner, please click here. The Samuel-Sanford Family of Canada is matching all new donations to the project up to a maximum of $100,000 for the construction of the new school as part of the 2014 JustWorld International Adopt a Project Campaign. By donating now, you will double your gift and benefit JustWorld in raising funds to finish the construction for Los Patojos. The school will allow for the alternative education program to double their capacity, expand programming and increase sustainability through fund-generating activities. Every dollar makes a difference, especially when it is doubled in the Los Patojos Project Completion Challenge!

About JustWorld International

JustWorld International is a not-for-profit, humanitarian organization that funds life-changing education, nutrition, health and hygiene, and leadership and cultural development programs for impoverished children in Cambodia, Honduras, Guatemala, and Colombia.

JustWorld International is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization in the United States and a registered Association 1901 in France. Tax-deductible donations are accepted in Switzerland and JustWorld’s supporters may send their donations to Fondation Philanthropia, a Swiss public-benefit umbrella foundation. Tax-deductible donations are also accepted in Canada. Canadian donors please click here. JustWorld International has no political or religious affiliation.

Media Contact: Kendall Bierer
JustWorld International
phone (561) 309-9873 fax (561) 753-3386
jwinfo@justworldinternational.org

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