Last week, WhyHunger, a global nonprofit dedicated to ending hunger and advancing the human right to nutritious food, held its annual Chapin Awards Gala at Cipriani 25 in New York City, raising $523,435 to end hunger and the injustice at its root.
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Honorees
The event honored GRAMMY and Golden Globe Award-winning, Oscar-nominated singer/songwriter, activist, and acclaimed actress Andra Day with the Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award and 4x Peabody Award winner, MacArthur Fellow, and founder of Radiolab Jad Abumrad with the Bill Ayres Social Justice Award. Both honorees were recognized for their contributions towards building a more just-hunger free world by using their talent, voice, and influence to inspire change.
Credit: Diane Bondareff
Notable Guests
Featuring moving remarks and a special performance by Andra Day, the evening brought together Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, 6x GRAMMY®-nominated artist and actress Yola, Chopped judge Chef Amanda Freitag, therapist and influencer Shahem McLaurin, USA Today Woman of the Year recording artist and disability advocate Lachi, The Summer I Turned Pretty actor David Iacono, The Good Wife actress Rachel Hilson, Tony Award®-nominated Broadway star Melissa Errico, and her husband, former professional tennis player, broadcaster and ESPN analyst Patrick McEnroe, as well as hundreds of supporters for a cocktail reception, dinner and program – all in support of WhyHunger’s mission to end hunger and address its root causes.
Highlights
Additional event highlights included a menu with select ingredients sourced from WhyHunger’s grassroots partners, video messages from actor André Holland and Radiolab co-hosts Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser, and, to close the night, a special rendition of Harry Chapin’s hit “Circle,” led by 3x GRAMMY® Award-winning singer-songwriter Tom Chapin.
Credit: Diane Bondareff
Credit: Luisanna Tejada
Credit: Diane Bondareff
WhyHunger’s Impact
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 25 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.
In the last five years, WhyHunger has connected 6.6 million people to food and invested $9.6 million in community-led solutions globally. The nonprofit works in the United States and 24 countries around the globe to end hunger and advance the human right to nutritious food for all.
The 2026 Chapin Awards is sponsored by Bloomberg Philanthropies, Collection 18, and the Secunda Family Foundation. To learn more about WhyHunger and how you can support the movement to end hunger, visit www.whyhunger.org.
