WhyHunger Kicks Off 41st Annual Hungerthon Ft. Kalen Allen, Lucy Dacus, Infinity Song,The Lumineers, Jason Mraz & Julio Torres

November 2, 2026  – WhyHunger, a global nonprofit working to end hunger and the injustices that cause it, kicked off its 41st Annual Hungerthon fundraiser and awareness campaign today. This fall, supporters can help end hunger and champion the right to nutritious food for all through Hungerthon events, auctions, partnerships, exclusive merchandise and more.

🌱 Hungerthon Hustle: On November 7, WhyHunger will hold the 3rd annual Hungerthon Hustle at NYC’s Citi Field. Hosted by award-winning actor, producer, singer, and television personality Kalen Allen, co-chaired by WhyHunger Chair of the Board of Directors, Cindy Secunda and EY’s Alysia Steinmann McWilliams, and joined by special guests comedian and TIME100 Creator Taryn Delanie Smith, the benefit run/walk is 4.8K in solidarity with the 48 million Americans who struggled to get food on the table last year, with the goal of shrinking the number and distance each year. Register HERE by noon on November 6 for the NYC event or join virtually through fitness apps anywhere in the U.S. The 2026 Hungerthon Hustle is sponsored by the Secunda Family Foundation, SiriusXM Cares, EY, Citi, and venue sponsor Citi Field.

🌱 Amplified Concert: On December 1, WhyHunger will host its sold-out annual Amplified Hungerthon Concert, featuring headliner Lucy Dacus (“one of the best songwriters of her generation” – Rolling Stone), with support from Infinity Song and special guest, Emmy®-nominated and Peabody-winning writer, director and comedian Julio Torres at NYC’s Webster Hall. The concert, which is being held on Giving Tuesday, has 100% of proceeds directly supporting WhyHunger’s work to nourish communities and address the root causes of hunger in the U.S. Fans have a chance to request a song to influence Lucy’s set list with a donation to WhyHunger HERE. WhyHunger has partnered with iHeartMedia New York as the Premier Audio Partner for Amplified, using music to advance the food justice movement. The event is sponsored by the Secunda Family Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies. 

🌱 Radio and Ambassador Partnerships: Each year, Hungerthon’s longstanding radio partners SiriusXM and iHeartMedia New York, artist ambassadors including Bruce Springsteen and Yoko Ono Lennon, and supporters nationwide come together to amplify WhyHunger’s message and boost donations. Tune-in for radio broadcasts and Hungerthon interviews through December 10th. 

🌱 Celebrity Online Auction: Supporters can bid on exclusive celebrity auction items and once-in-a-lifetime experiences through Charitybuzz starting Nov 10th. Sign up for updates at Charitybuzz.com/Hungerthon. Early items already up for auction include:

• Coffee with Jason Mraz and a tour of SiriusXM Studios in NYC

• 4 House Seats to The Great Gatsby on Broadway

• Elvis Duran & The Morning Show Ultimate Experience in NYC

• Tickets & Meet & Greet with Straight No Chaser

• Lumineers Autographed Woodridge Acoustic Guitar

• Tickets to Bright Eyes at Brooklyn Paramount & VIP to Ella’s Bar
• Chance to Join the Rock Band Chicago on Stage for Their Encore with Pre-Show Meet & Greet

🌱 Gifts that Give Back: Donations via Hungerthon.org unlock special gift options for supporters, including Hungerthon 2026 Food Justice Champions Tee, Bruce Springsteen Long Walk Home Signature Tee, John Lennon Imagine There’s No Hunger Ringer Tee, Ultimate Hungerthon 2026 Bundle and more.

“Now is the time for action. Food assistance is being stripped from millions, one in five U.S. adults relied on a food bank or pantry in the past year, and tens of millions of families are struggling to meet their basic needs. As hunger and economic hardship deepen, there has never been a more urgent time to join the movement to end hunger and systemic inequities at its root,” says WhyHunger’s Executive Director Jenique Jones.  “Together, we can meet this moment and build a different future. Through Hungerthon, artists, radio partners, communities and supporters band together to raise their voices, invest in community-led solutions to hunger, and advance the human right to nutritious food for all.”

For more than four decades, WhyHunger’s Hungerthon has been an engine powering community solutions to hunger that work. In partnership with SiriusXM and iHeartRadio NY, last year’s Hungerthon campaign raised $1.4 million through celebrity involvement, auctions, events and merchandise. For more information and to support this year’s Hungerthon, visit Hungerthon.org and follow the conversation on social media using #Hungerthon.

In the face of growing food insecurity, WhyHunger raised over half a million dollars to fuel their work at the 2026 Chapin Gala, honoring GRAMMY® and Golden Globe Award-winning, Oscar-nominated singer/songwriter, activist, and acclaimed actress Andra Day and 4x Peabody Award winner, MacArthur Fellow, and founder of Radiolab Jad Abumrad. Previous recipients include Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, Barbra Streisand, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels and beyond.

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.

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 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. 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 Sirius XM Holdings Inc.

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 complete ecosystem of advertising solutions through SiriusXM Media and AdsWizz. SiriusXM offers live, on-demand, and human-curated programming across music, talk, news, sports, and podcasts, and the company reaches approximately 255 million monthly listeners across its platforms. With deep automotive manufacturer relationships and unique spectrum assets, SiriusXM is built to reach listeners wherever they are. The company connects fans to the voices, creators, and moments they love – creating communities where listeners engage, participate, and belong. For more about SiriusXM, please go to: https://www.siriusxm.com/

About iHeartMedia New York

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. 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; twice the size of the next largest broadcast radio company; and over four times the ad-enabled audience of the largest digital only audio service. iHeart is the largest podcast publisher according to Podtrac, 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, with five times more followers than the next audio media brand, 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.

About Charitybuzz

Charitybuzz is the world’s leading impact marketplace for once-in-a-lifetime experiences, exclusive items and unmatched access. Through its premier online auction platform, upscale shopping experience, private concierge business, corporate hospitality, and sweepstakes program, Charitybuzz brings dreams to life and helps charities thrive. In addition to incredible luxury travel, VIP event experiences, and rare memorabilia and collectibles, Charitybuzz features exclusive access to the world’s most influential personalities – George Clooney, Beyoncé, Eddie Vedder, Warren Buffett, Olivia Rodrigo, Sir Paul McCartney, Tim Cook, Meryl Streep, and more. A portion of each Charitybuzz purchase is contributed to a charity. Partners include WhyHunger, ACLU, MusiCares, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and thousands more. To learn more, please visit www.charitybuzz.com

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