ST. PAUL — The founder of a Minneapolis charity that assists thousands of poor people each month is among the 13 recipients of the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal.

Mary Jo Copeland of Sharing and Caring hands is set to be awarded her medal by President Barack Obama next Friday at the White House. She was among those chosen from some 6,000 nominees for the nation’s second highest civilian honor.

Copeland founded her charity in 1985. It provides food, clothing, shelter and other assistance to low-income people in the Minneapolis area.