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Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, and CNN’s Laura Coates at the Chapin Awards at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall
Photo Credit: Getty Images for WhyHunger
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Thursday, June 5 - Last night, WhyHunger, a global nonprofit dedicated to ending hunger and advancing the human right to nutritious food, celebrated its 50th anniversary at its Annual Chapin Awards Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hallin New York City, raising over $600,000 to end hunger and the injustice at its root. The event honored GRAMMY Award-winning artists and lifelong activists Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo with the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award, and CNN’s Laura Coates with the inaugural Bill Ayres Social Justice Award – all recognizing those who have used their talent and global influence to inspire change and foster social justice.
Featuring special performances by Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, as well as members of The Fab Faux with Music Director Will Lee, the evening brought together artists such as Willie Nile, Will Calhoun, Tash Neal, Jen Chapin, and The Chapin Sisters, along with activists, supporters, and co-founder Bill Ayres and his family, and the family of fellow co-founder Harry Chapin, for a cocktail reception and program – all in support of WhyHunger’s mission to end hunger and address its root causes.
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Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo accepting the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award, presented by New York Moves publisher Moonah Ellison at the WhyHunger Chapin Awards at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall
Photo Credit: Getty Images for WhyHunger
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“What an incredible night! We were honored and humbled to receive the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award and celebrate the 50th anniversary of WhyHunger at the Chapin Awards Gala,” Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo shared. “The evening was filled with love, hope and good humans dedicated to the service of others. We’re in this together and together we can make miracles happen.” Previous recipients of the Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award include Barbra Streisand, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Grace Potter, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, Harry Belafonte, Jackson Browne, Jason Mraz, John Mellencamp, Jon Batiste, Judy Collins, Pete Seeger, and Michael Franti.
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CNN’s Laura Coates accepting the inaugural Bill Ayres Social Justice Award, presented by CNN’s Sara Sidner, at the WhyHunger Chapin Awards at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall
Photo Credit: Getty Images for WhyHunger
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“They say there are two great days in a person’s life: the day we are born and the day we discover why. For me, I know my why,” said CNN’s Laura Coates. “To not just speak truth to power, but to question it…To use my voice to challenge the very systems that create and further the divide between the haves and the have-nots. To disrupt the inertia of oppression. To pursue justice and insist we one day catch it.”
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Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo perform with members of the Chapin family and The Fab Faux, featuring Will Lee, at WhyHunger’s Annual Chapin Awards Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall
Photo Credit: Getty Images for WhyHunger
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“As we celebrate WhyHunger's 50th anniversary and reflect on our collective journey to end hunger and advance the human right to nutritious food, it’s important to uplift those who have helped lead the way,” said Jenique Jones, WhyHunger’s Executive Director.“We are thrilled to recognize our honorees’ contributions at this year's WhyHunger Chapin Awards Gala as we recommit ourselves to this work together. Looking ahead, we remain driven by the urgency of this moment and inspired by the possibilities of what we can achieve—together—with bold action, deep partnerships, and the unwavering belief that a hunger-free future is possible.”
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WhyHunger teamed up with local New Jersey area growers to create a “farm stand” activation booth
where guests sampled fresh farm products, met local farmers, learned about sustainable growing, and amplified the message on social media
Photo Credit: Getty Images for WhyHunger
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In the last three years, WhyHunger has connected 3.3 million people to food and invested $5.1 million in community-led solutions globally. The Chapin Awards Gala raises critical funds to support WhyHunger’s work to end hunger and promote the human right to nutritious food, thanks to sponsors Cindy & Tom Secunda, EY, HarbourView Equity Partners, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Andrew Pizzo on behalf of Collection XIIX, Ltd., and Terry & Lynn Glass.
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Members of WhyHunger’s Board of Directors attend WhyHunger’s 50th anniversary celebration
at the Chapin Awards Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall
Photo Credit: Getty Images for WhyHunger
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“We’re thrilled to support this incredible event celebrating WhyHunger’s 50 years of impact, and we hope our support inspires others to join this vital mission to end hunger and the injustices that cause it,” shared Alysia Steinmann, EY Metro New York Office Managing Partner and Member of WhyHunger’s Board of Directors.
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.
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WhyHunger co-founder Bill Ayres and team at WhyHunger’s 50th anniversary celebration
at the Chapin Awards Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall
Photo Credit: Getty Images for WhyHunger
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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.
For more information, please contact Shore Fire Media:
whyhungerpr@shorefire.com
