WhyHunger & SAINt JHN Celebrate Partnership With Intimate Pop-Up Dinner and Merch Drop in NYC

“If I can design something beautiful that also buys a family groceries—that’s the kind of art I want to make.” - SAINt JHN

Download Photos HERE

Photo Credit: Brandon Vallejo

November 7 – Last night, WhyHunger and GRAMMY Award-winning Guyanese-American artist SAINt JHN hosted a pop-up dinner at New York City’s Phoenix Palacein support of the global nonprofit’s Hungerthon, an educational and fundraising campaign addressing the root causes of hunger in America and advancing everyone’s right to nutritious food. At the intersection of music, food, and social justice, this intentional and innovative partnership sees WhyHunger’s mission seamlessly align with SAINt JHN’s heritage and values.

In celebration of the Hungerthon, SAINt JHN also designed limited-edition merchandise which is available at Hungerthon.org, including a black hoodie and white t-shirt.

Sponsored by The Zankel Music Fund and El Dorado Rum, the immersive dinner was curated by Chef Zhan Chen of Potluck Club & Phoenix Palace and included Guyanese-Chinese menu items, beverages, and a cohort of high-profile guests including Yola, Bloody Osiris, Ilfenesh Hadera, Emory Jones, GIGGS, Dre Hayes, Rachel Jackson, and more.

Jenique Jones, Executive Director of WhyHunger, says “We were thrilled to partner with SAINt JHN to amplify WhyHunger’s work and connect his fans and supporters to our mission to end hunger. The power an artist has to impact positive change when they bring their authentic self to a cause they are passionate about cannot be understated, and we were so excited to team up with SAINt JHN in the fight for justice.”

Raising $1 million last year, WhyHunger’s 40th Hungerthon campaign kicked off on November 3 uniting thousands of supporters across the U.S., along with radio partners SiriusXM and iHeartRadio New York, and artists including Bruce Springsteen and Yoko Ono Lennon, all of whom share a vision of a hunger-free future.

WhyHunger celebrated its 50^th anniversary this year at its Annual Chapin Awards Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City, raising over $600,000 to end hunger and injustice at its root. In addition to special performances from Pat Benatar, Neil Giraldo, and members of The Fab Faux with Music Director Will Lee, the event honored Benatar and Giraldo with the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award. Meanwhile, CNN’s Laura Coates was commemorated with the inaugural Bill Ayres Social Justice Award.

 In the last five years, WhyHunger has connected 5.3 million people to food and invested $10.8 million in community-led solutions globally. The nonprofit works in 24 countries around the globe to end hunger and advance the human right to nutritious food for all.

If you or someone you know needs assistance finding healthy meals, visit whyhunger.org/FindFood, call the WhyHunger Hotline at 1(800) 5-HUNGRY, or text your zip code to 1-800-548-6479. To learn more about WhyHunger and how you can support the movement to end hunger, visit www.whyhunger.org, and follow on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram.

About WhyHunger 

Founded in 1975 by the late Harry Chapin and radio DJ Bill Ayres, WhyHunger funds and supports community solutions to protect the human right to food. In nearly five decades of innovation and evolution, our programs and our grassroots partners in 24 countries have expanded agricultural practices that are better for the planet, helped communities address the root causes of hunger, and ensured access to nutritious food for millions of people. As a grassroots support organization, we stand behind the leadership of the people most impacted by hunger and injustice. We prioritize providing resources to support the rights of communities who have been historically excluded from defining and controlling their food systems. We advocate for workers’ rights and champion agroecological food production that unites science and sustainability with Indigenous knowledge and wisdom. Together we can build socially and economically just food systems that nourish all people and the environment.

About SAINt JHN

2x Grammy Nominated SAINt JHN is a Brooklyn- Guyanese native musician, songwriter, model, serial-entrepreneur, and a creative director/designer for his clothing brand “NOt a CULt.” Since breaking into the music industry as an artist, he’s had collaborations with talents like Lenny Kravitz, Beyonce, and Lil Baby to name a few. SAINt received 6 awards for collaborating with Beyoncé on “Brown Skin Girl”: (2019 Soul Train Music Awards: Ashford & Simpson, 2020 Soul Train Music Awards: Video of the Year, 2020 & 20201 won the Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration NAACP Award, 2020 BET HER Awards, 2021 MTV Music Awards). For “Roses” Imanbek Remix, he has accumulated a Billboard award in 2021 for “Best Dance Record'' and2021 iHeartRadio Music Awards for “Dance Song of the Year”. SAINt JHN graces billboards globally for brands like HUGO Boss & JD Sports. He ended 2022 receiving the Billboard Impact and Excellence Award.

For more information, please contact Shore Fire Media:whyhungerpr@shorefire.com