Actor & Personality Kalen Allen,
Comedian Taryn Delanie Smith & More Raise $603K
for WhyHunger’s 3rd Annual Hungerthon Hustle Run/Walk
at NYC’s Citi Field
Monday, November 9 – WhyHunger, a global nonprofit working to end hunger and the injustices that cause it, held its 3rd annual Hungerthon Hustle at NYC’s Citi Field on Saturday, November 7, raising $603,819. Award-winning actor, producer, singer, and television personality Kalen Allen hosted the event, kicking it off with opening remarks, joining 552 participants on the course and virtually, and presenting winning prizes during post-run celebrations with special guests, TIME100 Creator, comedian & New York Times bestselling author Taryn Delanie Smith, actress Rachel Hilson, and actor and creator Stephany Goulart. Mr. and Mrs. Met were also onsite for photo opportunities.
Co-chaired by WhyHunger Chair of the Board of Directors Cindy Secunda and EY’s Alysia Steinmann McWilliams, the benefit run/walk was 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. The 2026 Hungerthon Hustle was sponsored by the Secunda Family Foundation, SiriusXM Cares, EY, Citi, and venue sponsor Citi Field.
Last year’s Hungerthon Hustle was co-hosted by Chef Marcus Samuelsson and raised $544,219 to power community solutions to hunger that work.
“I have always believed that every person deserves the opportunity to dream beyond their circumstances and build a life that feels full of possibility,” Kalen Allen shares. “But how can we expect people to dream about tomorrow when they’re worried about where their next meal will come from today?”
I’m so honored to have partnered with WhyHunger as the host of their 3rd Annual Hungerthon Hustle. What I love most about this event is that it reminds us that making a difference doesn’t always require some grand gesture. Sometimes it starts with simply showing up. Whether it’s running, walking, donating, or using your voice to spread the word, we all have something to contribute. Because I believe a world without hunger is possible, but it’s going to take all of us to make it happen. And everybody deserves a seat at the table.”
Kalen Allen, Stephany Goulart and Mr. Met join participants on the course
(Photo Credit: Vonecia Carswell)
“With more than 550 runners and walkers joining us, the Hungerthon Hustle showed what collective action looks like. The more than $603,000 raised so far will help WhyHunger support community-led solutions and address the root causes of hunger,” added WhyHunger’s Executive Director Jenique Jones. “We’re grateful to everyone who ran, walked, volunteered, donated, and helped move us closer to a future where everyone has access to nutritious food and the resources to live with dignity.”
The family-friendly Hungerthon Hustle kicked off WhyHunger’s 41st Annual Hungerthon fundraiser and awareness campaign. Each year, longstanding radio partners SiriusXM and iHeartMedia New York, artist ambassadors including Bruce Springsteen and Yoko Ono Lennon, and supporters nationwide come together through events, celebrity auctions, partnerships, and more to help end hunger and champion the right to nutritious food for all. Coming up is WhyHunger’s 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 Webster Hall on December 1.
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.
L: Kalen Allen | R: Event Co-Chairs Cindy Secunda and Alysia Steinmann McWilliams, with WhyHunger’s Jenique Jones (Photo Credit: Nicky Quamina-Woo)
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 Kalen Allen
Award-winning actor, producer, singer, and television personality Kalen Allen has captivated millions worldwide through his social media and online content. Discovered in 2018 by Ellen DeGeneres, Allen rose to fame with his witty “Kalen Reacts” videos. As Ellen’s correspondent during his time on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, he often took his infectious personality to high-profile events, such as the Billboard Music Awards and the MTV Video Music Awards. He also hosted the award-winning digital series “OMKalen,” offering unique commentary on trending topics. In 2022, Allen joined former talk show host Ricki Lake as a co-host of the podcast Raised by Ricki for Lemonade Media.
Kalen is the host of the new MGM/Amazon game show Pick Your Prize on Amazon Prime Live. He also hosts Fox Reality Check, an unscripted recap series for Fox Digital. Kalen was a judge on Roku’s Celebrity Food Feud. His other TV credits include Apple TV’s Bearbrick, Holiday Baking Championship, Cakealikes, Buddy vs. Duff, Supermarket Takeout, With Love on Amazon Prime, and HBO Max’s A Black Lady Sketch Show.
Kalen made his feature film acting debut in Seth Rogen’s An American Pickle for HBO Max and can be seen in Netflix’s Meet Me Next Christmas alongside Christina Milian. He made his Broadway debut as Store Manager in Elf the Musical in November 2024. Most recently, Kalen wrapped a production of Bocking at Baltimore Playhouse.
Kalen’s videos have garnered billions of views across digital platforms and are growing on the digital front by the day. His work has also earned him many award nominations, including a Model D Award and honors at the Shorty and Webby Awards.
Kalen has also established himself in journalism. He covered the 2024 Democratic National Convention, served as a correspondent for CBS News discussing the 2024 election, and conducted numerous red-carpet interviews at high-profile events, notably the VMAs, Billboard Music Awards, and Streamy Awards.
Originally from Kansas City, Allen attended Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and a Bachelor of Arts in Film. He recently graduated from NYU with a master’s in journalism. He has a prominent place in his heart for charity and actively supports Ronald McDonald House Charities, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, GLSEN, GLAAD, and Better Brothers LA. He also serves on the board of directors for the Loveloud Foundation.
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