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WhyHunger Raises $1.4M For 40th Annual Hungerthon With Docu-Concert, Artist Summit, 5K at NYC’s Citi Field, Pop-Up Dinner & More

Featured Bruce Springsteen, Chef Marcus Samuelsson, SAINt JHN, Stevie Van Zandt, Yoko Ono Lennon, Yola & More in partnership with SiriusXM and iHeartMedia New York

NEW YORK – Thursday, January 15 – WhyHunger, a global nonprofit working to end hunger and the injustices that cause it, has wrapped its 40th Annual Hungerthon fundraiser and awareness campaign in partnership with SiriusXM and iHeartMedia New York, raising $1,395,581 to help end hunger and champion the right to nutritious food for all through Hungerthon events, auctions, partnerships and more.

 

Radio and Ambassador Partnerships: Hungerthon’s longstanding radio partners SiriusXM and iHeartMedia New York joined artist ambassadors like Bruce Springsteen, Yoko Ono Lennon and SAINt JHN to amplify WhyHunger’s message and boost donations. Supporters bid on exclusive celebrity auction items, including Olivia Rodrigo’s signed guitar; a Carrie Underwood meet-and-greet with two tickets to American Idol and a guest DJ spot on SiriusXM’s CARRIE'S COUNTRY; and the chance to join Andy Cohen live in the studio for his SiriusXM radio show, Andy Cohen Live on Radio Andy.

 

On December 14, WhyHunger held their 50th Anniversary Hungerthon Benefit Docu-Concert, featuring performances from Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Van Zandt & The Disciples of Soul with Marc Ribler, Sameer Gadhia & Eric Cannata from Young the Giant, Yola, and more at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, which raised more than $200,000. Music-directed by Marc Ribler, the night also included performances from Jim Babjak and Dennis Diken of The Smithereens, Dixie Dregs, Garry Tallent, Jimmy Vivino with Mark Barden, Steve Chapin & The Original Harry Chapin Band featuring Tom Chapin & Jen Chapin, Randy C Moore, Danny Clinch as well as a special rendition of Harry Chapin’s classic “Cat’s in the Cradle” featuring film footage from new documentary Harry Chapin - Cat's In the Cradle: The Song that Changed Our Lives, directed by Rick Korn. Earlier that day, WhyHunger hosted an Artist Summit on hunger and poverty at the Transparent Clinch Gallery.

Marc Ribler, Bruce Springsteen & Stevie Van Zandt - Photo Credit: Melissa Lawlor

Stevie Van Zandt & Jenique Jones (WhyHunger) - Photo Credit: Teresa Pyskaty for WhyHunger

 

WhyHunger hosted their 2nd annual Hungerthon Hustle at NYC’s Citi Field on Giving Tuesday, December 2, 2025, raising $447,300. Co-host Chef Marcus Samuelsson kicked off the event with opening remarks, joined participants to run the course, and presented the winning prize during the post-run celebration. Mr. and Mrs. Met were also onsite for photo opportunities and joined in the race. Co-chaired by EY Metro New York Office Managing Partner & 33-time marathon runner Alysia Steinmann and WhyHunger Board Chair Cindy Secunda, the 4.7K benefit run/walk distance reflected the 47.7 million Americans facing food insecurity, with the goal of shrinking the number and distance each year. The 2025 Hungerthon Hustle was sponsored by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Secunda Family Foundation, SiriusXM, EY, Boost Mobile, and Wonder with venue sponsor Citi Field. 

Chef Marcus Samuelsson, Jenique Jones (WhyHunger), Co-chair Alysia Steinmann (EY) and

Co-chair Cindy Secunda (WhyHunger) with WhyHunger team and Mr. & Mrs. Met

Photo Credit: Luisanna Tejada

 

WhyHunger and GRAMMY Award-winning Guyanese-American artist SAINt JHN hosted a pop-up dinner at New York City’s Phoenix Palace on November 6 to help kick off Hungerthon. SAINt JHN also designed limited-edition merchandise available at Hungerthon.org. 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.

L-R: Jimmy Zankel (The Zankel Music Fund), Jenique Jones (WhyHunger), Cory Ng (Phoenix Palace), SAINt JHN, Holly MacDonald (WhyHunger), & Chef Zhan Chen (Phoenix Palace)

Photo Credit: Brandon Vallejo

 

Gifts that Give Back: Donations via Hungerthon.org unlocked special gift options for supporters, including a John Lennon Imagine There’s No Hunger T-shirt or crewneck sweatshirt, Bruce Springsteen “The World’s Gonna Change” T-shirt or hoodie, SAINt JHN X WhyHunger Zip-Up Hoodie or T-shirt, Hungerthon 2025 T-shirt, or WhyHunger Tote Bag.

WhyHunger’s 2025 Hungerthon merch for donation at Hungerthon.org

 

Each year, nearly 50 million people in America– including 14 million children – don't get enough to eat. That’s a staggering number in the world’s wealthiest nation, and this crisis isn’t slowing down. Nutritious food is a fundamental human right, not a privilege,” said Jenique Jones, WhyHunger’s executive director. “In the face of safety net cuts and growing need, our Hungerthon partnerships and the thousands of supporters who donate, participate and amplify the message are more important than ever. Hunger can’t wait. Together, we have the power to demand – and make – change. A hunger-free tomorrow starts with all of us, today.” 

 

For four decades, WhyHunger’s Hungerthon has been an engine powering community solutions to hunger that work. For more information, visit Hungerthon.org and follow the conversation on social media using #Hungerthon.

 

2025 wrapped up WhyHunger’s 50th anniversary celebration, which included their Annual Chapin Awards Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City, raising over $600,000 to help 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 whyhunger.org and follow on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X and TikTok.

 

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 SiriusXM

SiriusXM is the leading audio entertainment company in North America with a portfolio of audio businesses including its flagship subscription entertainment service SiriusXM; the ad-supported and premium music streaming services of Pandora; an expansive podcast network; and a suite of business and advertising solutions. Reaching a combined monthly audience of approximately 170 million listeners, SiriusXM offers a broad range of content for listeners everywhere they tune in with a diverse mix of live, on-demand, and curated programming across music, talk, news, and sports. For more about SiriusXM, please go to: www.siriusxm.com

 

About iHeartMedia, Inc.

iHeartMedia New York owns and operates WHTZ-FM, WKTU-FM, WLTW-FM, WWPR-FM, WAXQ-FM, WOR-AM, New York's Black Information Network, WWRL-AM, and is part of iHeartMedia, Inc. [Nasdaq: IHRT] is the leading audio media company in America, with nine out of ten Americans listening to iHeart broadcast radio every month. iHeart’s broadcast radio assets alone have a larger audience in the U.S. than any other media outlet and over four times the ad-enabled audience of the largest digital only audio service. iHeart is the largest podcast publisher according to both Podtrac and Triton, with more downloads than the next two podcast publishers combined, has the most recognizable live events across all genres of music, has the number one social footprint among audio players, has the highest-reach and most engaged influencers, and is the only fully integrated audio ad tech solution across broadcast, streaming and podcasts. The company continues to leverage its strong audience connection and unparalleled consumer reach to build new platforms, products and services. Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.

 

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