WhyHunger Celebrates 50th Anniversary
Honoring Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo
At Annual Chapin Awards Gala In NYC On June 4
March 27, 2025 – WhyHunger, a global nonprofit dedicated to ending hunger and advancing the human right to nutritious food, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year with the announcement of the Annual Chapin Awards Gala on June 4, 2025 at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City – tickets here. The event will honor GRAMMY Award-winning artists and lifelong activists Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo with the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award, recognizing philanthropic artists who have used their talent and global influence to inspire change and foster social justice.
The evening 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. Additional honorees will be announced in coming weeks.
“We are deeply honored to receive the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award and to stand alongside WhyHunger in their tireless fight to end hunger,” Benatar and Giraldo shared. “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.”
With a legendary career spanning over four decades, Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo have made an indelible impact on both music and social activism. Together, they have sold over 36 million records worldwide, earning four consecutive GRAMMY® Awards and charting 19 Top 40 hits, including iconic anthems like “We Belong,” “Invincible,” “Love Is A Battlefield,” “Promises In The Dark,” “We Live For Love,” “Heartbreaker,” and “Hell Is For Children.” Their contributions to music and culture have been recognized with three American Music Awards, a People’s Choice Award, and a 2022 induction into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
“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,” Jenique Jones, WhyHunger’s Executive Director, shared. “Honoring Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo with the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award is a testament to their unwavering commitment to social justice and their powerful influence in igniting change through music. We are thrilled to recognize their contributions at this year’s Chapin Awards Gala as we recommit ourselves to this work together.”
ASCAP (American Society for Composers, Authors and Publishers) and WhyHunger have previously presented the Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award to a distinguished list of recipients, including Barbra Streisand, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Grace Potter, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, Harry Belafonte, Jackson Browne, Jason Mraz, John Mellencamp, Jon Batiste, Judy Collins and Pete Seeger. Last year’s gala honored singer-songwriter Michael Franti for his music-driven activism, recognizing his work with his and his wife Sara’s non–profit, Do It for the Love, an organization that brings joy to individuals facing life-threatening illnesses, as well as his advocacy for hunger relief, climate justice, and social equity.
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.
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.
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.
