WhyHunger, a global nonprofit dedicated to ending hunger and advancing the human right to nutritious food, will honor CNN Chief Legal Analyst and Anchor Laura Coates with the inaugural Bill Ayres Social Justice Award, in honor of those who are driven by moral conviction to unite communities and fight for justice, at WhyHunger’s 50th Anniversary Chapin Awards Gala on June 4, 2025, at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City – tickets here. The award, named in tribute to WhyHunger co-founder Bill Ayres, will be presented by CNN Senior National Correspondent and Anchor Sara Sidner.
CNN’s Laura Coates has become a powerful voice in the fight for social justice. A former trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, she championed voting rights enforcement, before serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. Now, as the host of CNN’s Laura Coates Live, she delivers sharp insight and clarity on the country’s most urgent legal and political issues.
“I am so humbled to be able to use my platform to democratize information and empower anyone and everyone to speak their own truth to power and uplift the most vulnerable among us!” said Coates.
Alongside Coates, the event will honor GRAMMY Award-winning artists and lifelong activists Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo with the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award, presented by New York Moves Magazine’s Moonah Ellison, recognizing philanthropic artists who have used their talent and global influence to inspire change and foster social justice. There will be special performances by Benatar and Giraldo, as well as members of The Fab Faux with Will Lee, Music Director.
Speaking about their upcoming award, Benatar and Giraldo shared, “We are deeply honored to receive the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award and to stand alongside WhyHunger in their tireless fight to end hunger. Music has always been a powerful force for change, and we believe in using our voices not just to entertain, but to inspire action. WhyHunger’s mission aligns with our lifelong commitment to justice and equity, and we are proud to support their work in ensuring that nutritious food is a fundamental right for all.”
The Chapin Awards Gala will bring together artists, activists, and supporters for a cocktail reception, dinner, and live music, all in support of WhyHunger’s mission to end hunger and its root causes. 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.
In 2024, WhyHunger raised over $1 million from its annual Hungerthon campaign, including its Amplified: Annual Hungerthon Kickoff Concert, featuring performances by The Roots, Cimafunk, and Grace Bowers. 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.
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.
