ROBIN LIM NAMED 2011 CNN “HERO OF THE YEAR” AT CNN’S FIFTH ANNUAL CNN HEROES: AN ALL-STAR TRIBUTE
CNN Press Release - December 11, 2011 - In a star-studded ceremony Sunday night at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Robin Lim was named the 2011 CNN Hero of the Year.
Christy Turlington Burns introduced Lim as one of the Top 10 CNN Heroes while host Anderson Cooper announced her name as the CNN Hero of the Year at the end of the evening. Each of the Top 10 CNN Heroes received $50,000, and Lim’s nonprofit, Bumi Sehat Foundation, will receive an additional $250,000 grant.
In Indonesia, women are 300 times more likely to die in childbirth or from pregnancy-related complications than women in developed countries. After Lim’s younger sister died from pregnancy complications, she became a professional midwife and dedicated her life to offering free prenatal and birthing services to low-income Indonesian women. Since 2003, Lim’s“Yayasan Bumi Sehat” (Healthy Mother Earth) clinic has provided medical assistance to thousands of women in Bali and Aceh, Indonesia.
The star-studded ceremony included celebrity participants Jerry Seinfeld, Sofia Vergara, Mary-Louise Parker, Ice Cube, Laura Dern, J.R. Martinez, will.i.am, Christy Turlington Burns, George Lopez and Kurt Warner. Miley Cyrus, Chris Colfer and Emma Roberts presented to youths who were recognized and honored by CNN as “Young Wonders.” Miley Cyrus also performed her triple platinum hit “The Climb”, while Kid Rock performed a powerful version of "Care" from his platinum selling album, “Born Free.”
Now in its fifth year, CNN Heroes is a multi-platform campaign that shines a spotlight on individuals who go to extraordinary lengths to serve others. This year, the campaign received over 10,000 submissions from more than 100 countries.
For more information, including photos and video highlights from the CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute, as well as information on all the Top 10 CNN Heroes for 2011, please visit CNNHeroes.com.
CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute - Stage Construction Time-Lapse Video
With just hours to go until the live premiere of the 2011 CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute, CNN has released a time-lapse video of the new CNN Heroes stage being constructed. Built over four days, the video is compressed into one minute.
CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute will screen live tonight at 8:00pm (eastern) on CNN Domestic, and simulcast live on CNN International and CNN en Español. More of what you can expect the actual special is in our blog post below.
Celebrity Presenters Revealed For 2011 CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute
With just days to go until the live CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute, CNN has announced more details on the show, including the celebrity presenters appearing on the night. Details from CNN's press release below.
CNN Press Release: CNN, the worldwide leader in news, announced new show details and additions to the line-up for CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute. Hosted by Anderson Cooper, the show honors everyday people doing extraordinary things, and will air live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA, globally on CNN's networks including CNN/U.S., HLN, CNN International and CNN en Español. Additionally Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the multiple Emmy®-award winning chief medical correspondent for CNN, will conduct exclusive backstage interviews streamed live on CNN.com during the show with bonus content available on CNN's mobile apps for iPad, iPhone and Android.
Each of the Top 10 CNN Heroes, whose profiles are available to view at www.cnnheroes.com, received a $50,000 grant for being named as this year’s honorees. One of 2011 CNN Heroes will be named the “CNN Hero of the Year” live on the tribute show, as voted by fans across the globe, and will receive an additional $250,000 grant to further aid their charitable work.
During the live broadcast, the Top 10 CNN Heroes will each have his or her story told by a celebrity. CNN is proud to announce additional celebrity presenters and participants including:
• Jerry Seinfeld, Stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and television and film producer
• George Lopez, entertainer and long-time supporter of CNN Heroes, will be introducing Hometown Heroes, showing viewers what you can do to be a hero in your very own backyard
• Sofia Vergara, Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG-nominated actress
• Mary-Louise Parker, Award winning actress, Showtime’s Weeds and supporter of Hope North Uganda
• Ice Cube, Rapper, actor, screenwriter and producer
• Laura Dern, Golden Globe Award winning Actress and star of HBO’s Enlightened
• Chris Colfer, Golden Globe winner, two-time Emmy nominee, SAG nominee, and star of Fox’sGlee, will be presenting to youths who are being recognized and honored by CNN as “Young Wonders.”
• Emma Roberts, Actress, will be presenting to youths who are being recognized and honored by CNN as “Young Wonders.”
Joining Colfer and Roberts in presenting the “Young Wonders” is Miley Cyrus, who will also be performing her triple platinum hit “The Climb” and Kid Rock will perform a special live version of "Care" from his platinum selling album, “Born Free.”
This news comes on the heels of announcing Dancing with the Stars winner and All My Children actor, J.R. Martinez, The Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am, global maternal health advocate and founder of Every Mother Counts, Christy Turlington Burns, and NFL Super Bowl champ and MVP quarterback Kurt Warner, as presenters last week.
As previously announced, J.R. Martinez, will be co-hosting the live pre-show, Showbiz Tonight @ CNN Heroes, with AJ Hammer, host of HLN's evening show, Showbiz Tonight. Holly Robinson Peete will be hosting the social media suite on the red carpet. Showbiz Tonight’s correspondent, Kareen Wynter, will also be part of the pre-show, interviewing the arriving celebrities on the red carpet.The Showbiz Tonight @ CNN Heroes pre-show will air live on CNN and HLN at 7 PM ET/ 4 PM PT.
CNN and GetGlue have teamed up to offer limited edition CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute stickers. Through their mobile devices, GetGlue app users can ‘check-in’ to the broadcast to unlock exclusive stickers that can be shared on social platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
Fans can also make a direct charitable donation to their favorite Top 10 CNN Heroes’ nonprofit using Google Wallet through December 31, 2011. Google is waving all transaction fees enabling 100 percent of the donations to go directly to the CNN Heroes’ non-profit organizations.
Kelly Flynn is the Senior Executive Producer for the “CNN Heroes” initiative and CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute. This year’s show will be produced by Ian Stewart and Hamish Hamilton of Done and Dusted.
Airtimes for 2011 CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute:
CNN Announces First Round Of Presenters For CNN Heroes 2011; New 'Heroes' Thanksgiving Night Special
CNN today announced that actor and former US Army soldier J.R. Martinez will co-host the red carpet pre-show of this year's CNN Heroes live special. The network also released more information on a Thanksgiving special that will revisit CNN Heroes from the past 5 years. Details from CNN below.
CNN Press Release:CNN Heroes Announces J.R. Martinez, will.i.am, Christy Turlington Burns and Kurt Warner to Participate in Fifth Annual “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute” LIVE on Sunday, December 11 at 8PM ET
CNN will also take a look back at the last five years of heroes during 'CNN HEROES: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?' an hour-long Thanksgiving Special set to air on November 24th at 8PM ET
CNN, the worldwide leader in news, announced today that Dancing with the Stars finalist, and longtime friend to CNN Heroes, J.R. Martinez, has been tapped to co-host the live pre-show from the red carpet for CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute, which will be broadcast LIVE on CNN Sunday, December 11, 2011 from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA. The network also announced that the Top 10 CNN Heroes will each have their story told by celebrities, including The Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am, global maternal health advocate and founder of Every Mother Counts, Christy Turlington Burns, and NFL Super Bowl champ and MVP quarterback Kurt Warner.
CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute hosted by Anderson Cooper will air live at 8:00 PM ET. The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT @ CNN HEROES pre-show will air immediately beforehand at 7:00pm ET. Additional celebrity presenters will be announced in the upcoming weeks.
On Thanksgiving night, CNN will broadcast CNN Heroes: Where Are They Now? hosted by Anderson Cooper, an hour-long special program looking back at CNN Heroes from the past five years, November 24 at 8:00 pm ET. CNN Heroes: Where Are They Now? will air globally on CNN, CNN en Español and CNN International. The Thanksgiving special will feature celebrities who’ve been inspired by CNN Heroes such as J.R. Martinez, The Office’s Rainn Wilson, comedian George Lopez, and more. The program will showcase impressive updates on the progress of several CNN Heroes that have been honored in the past and showcase this year’s top 10 CNN Heroes. Since its inception in 2007, CNN’s heroes have received more than $6 million for their causes, enabling them to help hundreds of thousands of people in 77 countries around the world. Additionally, CNN and GetGlue have teamed up to offer limited-edition CNN Heroes: Where Are They Now? stickers. GetGlue users can ‘check-in’ to the broadcast to unlock exclusive stickers that can be shared on social platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
Fans are encouraged to vote up to 10 times a day, every day, for this year’s “CNN Hero of the Year”. Voting continues through Wednesday, December 7, 2011, at midnight PT, and the “CNN Hero of the Year” will be announced live at this year’s CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute show. Fans can also make a direct charitable donation to their favorite Top 10 CNN Heroes’ nonprofit using Google Wallet, through December 31, 2011. Google is waiving all transaction fees enabling 100 percent of the donations to go directly to the heroes’ non-profit organizations. Visit CNNHeroes.com online or on your mobile device to learn more about the 2011 honorees, cast your vote and to donate.
CNN, Google Team Up For Public Donations To Top 10 CNN Heroes
A month out from the live premiere of CNN Heroes 2011, the network has announced a new way for viewers to donate to organizations associated with this year's nominees. Details from CNN's press release below.
CNN Press Release:Supporters can now contribute to the CNN Heroes' Non-Profit Organizations through Google Checkout
In advance of the global live premiere of 2011's CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute on Sunday, December 11, at 8 pm ET, CNN and Google have teamed up to enable people around the world to donate to this year's Top 10 CNN Heroes and their causes.
Through Google Checkout, Google is providing payment processing functionality for donations made to the Top 10 Heroes' non-profit organizations. Google Checkout provides a fast, secure and free way to donate online using a credit or debit card. Beginning today, through December 31, 2011, online users can support the work of the Top 10 CNN Heroes of 2011 by clicking the "donate" button on CNNHeroes.com and on each of the Top Ten Heroes' individual fan pages.
The CNN Heroes gala is the only show of its kind, bringing out Hollywood's brightest stars to honor individuals who are making extraordinary contributions to help improve the lives of others. This year's tribute show is hosted by Anderson Cooper and will air live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles at 8 pm ET, on Sunday, December 11, 2011. Since its inception, five years ago, "CNN Heroes" has received over 40,000 submissions from more than 100 countries and profiled over 150 heroes.
For more information, including video of the Top 10 CNN Heroes, links to their organizations, and highlights from previous years, visit: CNNHeroes.com.
CNN has revealed the Top 10 finalists of CNN Heroes 2011. Online voting is open now until December 7. The Top 10 finalists will be honored in a live special to be broadcast across CNN's networks on December 11. CNN's press release below.
CNN Press Release: World News Leader Honors Everyday People Changing the World
CNN, the worldwide leader in news, today announced the Top 10 CNN Heroes for 2011, recognizing everyday people who are changing the world. The network also announced that online voting for the “CNN Hero of the Year” opened Thursday, September 22, 2011, at 8:00 AM ET, and will run through Wednesday, December 7, 2011, at Midnight PT.
CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute will air LIVE on CNN at 8:00 PM ET, on Sunday, December 11, 2011. Hosted by Anderson Cooper at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute will honor individuals who are making extraordinary contributions to help improve the lives of others. Since its inception, “CNN Heroes” has received over 40,000 submissions from more than 100 countries and profiled over 150 heroes.
Each of the Top 10 CNN Heroes will receive a $50,000 grant and one of the honorees, as voted by fans across the globe, will be named the “CNN Hero of the Year”, receiving an additional $250,000 grant to further aid their cause. During the live broadcast, the Top 10 CNN Heroes will each have their story told by a celebrity.
The honorees for 2011, whose profiles are available to view at www.cnnheroes.com, are:
- Amy Stokes (Yonkers, NY) In sub-Saharan Africa, nearly 15 million children have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS. New York resident Amy Stokes decided to bring the effect of caring adults living elsewhere into the lives of South African children. She started Infinite Family in 2006, using the internet to connect hundreds of teen ‘Net Buddies’ with adult mentor volunteers from around the world. Pairs meet face-to-face via the internet, and the children learn survival, language and computer skills that help prepare them for their future in a global marketplace.
- Bruno Serato (Anaheim, CA) For two decades, Bruno Serato has been doing what he loves: feeding customers at his restaurant in Anaheim, California. But six years ago, he realized that many of the children at his local Boys and Girls Club often go to bed hungry. They are “motel kids” – children whose families stay one step ahead of homelessness by living week-to-week in cheap motels. Serato’s “Caterina’s Club” started serving them pasta dinners, and now he feeds nearly 200 children seven nights a week.
- Derreck Kayongo (Atlanta, GA (birthplace: Uganda)) Millions of bars of soap left behind at hotels are simply thrown away. Since 2009, Kayongo and his Global Soap Project have collected 100 tons of partially used hotel soap and reprocessed it into more than 100,000 bars for communities in nine countries, including Haiti, Kenya and Uganda – for free. The Atlanta-area resident and Ugandan war refugee considers the soap he provides for poverty-stricken children as “a first line of defense” to help fight disease. The need is real: an estimated 2 million children die annually due to sanitation issues.
- Diane Latiker (Roseland (Chicago), IL) Youth gun violence runs especially rampant on Chicago’s South Side. Instead of hiding from it, Diane Latiker opened her doors to area kids in 2003 and started a community center in her living room. Today, the mother of eight has turned the building next door into a haven for youngsters. Latiker’s “Kids Off the Block” program offers tutoring, mentoring, job training and other activities to keep young people off the streets, out of gangs and focused on their futures.
- Eddie Canales (Schertz, TX) In 2001, Canales watched as his son Chris, a high school senior, made a tackle during a football game that left him paralyzed. Just over a year later, he and Chris watched from the stands as another high school player went down with a spinal cord injury. That moment pushed Eddie Canales to start “Gridiron Heroes”, which provides emotional and financial support to high school football athletes who’ve sustained spinal cord injuries. It’s a fraternity that includes 19 injured players in the state of Texas.
- Elena Durón Miranda (Bariloche, Argentina) Elena Durón Miranda traveled to Argentina in 2001 to research impoverished communities. She witnessed children collecting food and other items in the Bariloche trash dump to eat and sell. She decided to stay in the country and in 2002, she founded “P.E.T.I.S.O.S.” (Prevention and Eradication of Child Labor) to get children out of the garbage dump and into school. Today P.E.T.I.S.O.S. provides free after school programs and access to education, counseling and medical care to about 200 children.
- Patrice Millet (Port-au-Prince, Haiti) After Patrice Millet was diagnosed with cancer, he dedicated his life to helping needy kids in his native Haiti. In 2007, he sold his business and started the “FONDAPS” youth soccer program, which has provided free equipment, coaching and food to hundreds of children from the slums of Port-au-Prince. But Millet’s program mainly aims to help teach participants to become responsible citizens. Many children in the program lost relatives in the 2010 earthquake and now live in tent cities. Millet believes his work is even more important now to give “his kids” a shot at a better life.
- Robin Lim (Ubud, Bali, Indonesia (Birthplace: Arizona)) In Indonesia, women are 300 times more likely to die in childbirth or from pregnancy-related complications than women in developed countries. After her youngest sister died from pregnancy complications, Lim became a professional midwife and dedicated her life to offering free prenatal and birthing services to low-income Indonesian women. Since 2003, Lim’s “Yayasan Bumi Sehat” (Healthy Mother Earth Clinic) has provided medical assistance to thousands of women in Bali and Aceh, Indonesia.
- Sal Dimicelli (Lake Geneva, WI) Raised in poverty, Sal Dimicelli vowed when he was 12 years old that he’d always help people in need, and he’s spent nearly all of his adult life making good on that promise. Through a local newspaper column, Sal invites people who’ve fallen on hard times to write him letters, describing their situation. His nonprofit, “The Time Is Now To Help”, assists about 500 people a year with food, rent, utilities and other necessities.
- Taryn Davis (Buda, TX) Taryn Davis’ husband died in Iraq when she was 21. She felt alone with her pain while others moved on with their lives and encouraged her to do the same. Unable to find a community that could honor her husband’s memory and spirit in a way she could relate to, Taryn created one. Since 2007, her American Widow Project has connected 900 young military widows in a sisterhood that helps them honor their husbands while celebrating life.
Previous CNN Heroes have gained global recognition and earned increased support, allowing them to make an even greater difference. For example, last year’s “Hero of the Year”, Anuradha Koirala, was honored by actress Demi Moore. Moore’s organization, the DNA Foundation, later partnered with the CNN Freedom Project for a documentary on Koirala’s project “Maiti Nepal”, which details her efforts to end human trafficking. The DNA Foundation will also fund future Maiti Nepal prevention efforts. CNN’s 2009 “Hero of the Year”, Efren Peñaflorida, saw his pushcart classroom model replicated more than 50 times by different organizations and institutions across the Philippines. He can also be seen hosting his own search for heroes on the Philippine television show "Ako Mismo" ("I Myself"), which features people working in the Philippines to better the lives of others.
“Over the past five years, the CNN Heroes Initiative has profiled more than 150 heroes and honored 50 everyday men and women from around the world for their tireless efforts to improve the lives of others,” said Jim Walton, President of CNN Worldwide. “We hope to empower these selfless individuals to persevere in their humanitarian efforts to create progress, and are proud to share the stories of this year’s Top 10 Heroes.”
Those interested in learning more about the 2011 honorees and casting their vote for “Hero of the Year” can visit www.cnnheroes.com online or on their mobile device. For the latest updates, fans can follow CNN Heroes on Facebook and Twitter.
Kelly Flynn is the Senior Executive Producer for the “CNN Heroes” initiative and CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute. This year’s show will be produced by Ian Stewart and Hamish Hamilton.
Public Donations Open For Top 10 CNN Heroes On Facebook
CNN Press Release:“Donate Now” Tab on the CNN Heroes Facebook Page Allows People to Contribute to CNN Heroes’ Charities
In advance of the global broadcast premiere of 2010’s CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute on Thanksgiving, November 25, at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT, CNN and Facebook have teamed to enable people around the world to donate to this year’s Top 10 CNN Heroes and their causes.
“For the first time ever, CNN’s global audience and people on Facebook are able to directly support the CNN Heroes who are making huge differences all over the world,” said Kay Madati, vice president of audience experience for CNN Worldwide. “It is our sincere hope that extending our tribute through Facebook is both fitting and meaningful for the Top 10 Heroes, as well as those who are impacted by their tireless work each and every day.”
From now through the end of the year, Facebook users can support the work of the individuals named among the Top 10 CNN Heroes of 2010 by clicking the “Donate Now” tab on the CNN Heroes Facebook page. People on Facebook also can access the CNN Heroes donation module on the CNN and AC360 Pages. After making a donation, they can watch an exclusive thank-you video from the host of CNN Heroes, CNN’s Anderson Cooper, as well as share information about the initiative and their donation with friends on Facebook.
This aspect of CNN Heroes kicked off during the event’s taping in the “Social Suite,” where celebrity attendees gathered to share their passion for social good via social media. Hosted by Blue Ribbon Panelist Holly Robinson Peete, the Social Suite featured presenters and performers LL Cool J, Common and Sugarland, and highlighted social media updates from other celebrities in attendance including Demi Moore, John Legend and Jessica Alba.
These online donations are powered by Facebook’s virtual currency, Facebook Credits, and Facebook is waiving its processing fees as part of the program. CNN Heroes is among the first large-scale charity efforts involving Facebook Credits, an easy and convenient way for people to buy virtual and digital goods in more than 200 popular games and applications on Facebook. The Facebook Credits application used to manage the donation process was co-developed with Facebook’s partner Livestream, a technology company that specializes in live video for the web, mobile devices, and connected TVs.
The CNN Heroes gala is the only show of its kind - bringing out Hollywood's brightest stars to honor everyday people changing the world. Now in its fourth year, CNN Heroes is a multiplatform campaign that shines a spotlight on individuals who go to extraordinary lengths to serve others; in 2010, the campaign received over 10,000 submissions from more than 100 countries. The Top 10 CNN Heroes were selected by an esteemed Blue Ribbon Panel, which included Muhammad Ali, Sir Richard Branson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, and Ricky Martin among other humanitarians.
More information, including video of the Top 10 CNN Heroes, links to their organizations, and highlights from previous CNN Heroes programming can be found at http://www.cnnheroes.com/ and www.facebook.com/CNNHeroes.
CNN Press Release: In a star-studded ceremony Saturday night at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Anuradha Koirala was named the 2010 CNN HERO OF THE YEAR, after nearly two million votes were cast at CNNHeroes.com.
Actress Demi Moore introduced Anuradha Koirala (pronounced anoo-RA-da core-A-la) as one of the Top 10 CNN Heroes; host Anderson Cooper announced Koirala as the CNN HERO OF THE YEAR at the end of the evening, after a powerful performance by Grammy Award-winning band Sugarland. Each Top 10 CNN Hero received $25,000, and Koirala’s organization, Maiti Nepal, will receive an additional $100,000.
Anuradha Koirala is fighting to prevent the trafficking and sexual exploitation of Nepal's women and girls. Her group, Maiti Nepal,has facilities throughout Nepal and India, with its main campus in Kathmandu. Roughly translated, Maiti means "Mother's Home." By raiding brothels, patrolling the India-Nepal border and providing safe shelter and support services, Koirala and Maiti Nepal have helped rescue and rehabilitate more than 12,000 Nepali women and girls since 1993.
Koirala was voted CNN HERO OF THE YEAR from among the Top 10 CNN HEROES, who were all honored at Saturday's event. Celebrity presenters included Halle Berry, Kid Rock, Renee Zellweger, Jessica Alba, Marisa Tomei, Gerard Butler, Kiefer Sutherland, Aaron Eckhart, and LL COOL J. Bon Jovi, Sugarland and John Legend featuring Common & Melanie Fiona each performed.
CNN HEROES: AN ALL-STAR TRIBUTE, hosted by Cooper, will air globally on CNN on Thanksgiving, November 25, at 8pmET/5pm PT. The CNN HEROES gala is the only show of its kind - bringing out Hollywood's brightest starsto honor everyday people changing the world.
Now in its fourth year, CNN Heroes is a multiplatform campaign that shines a spotlight on individuals who go to extraordinary lengths to serve others; in 2010, the campaign received over 10,000 submissions from more than 100 countries. The Top 10 CNN Heroes were selected by an esteemed Blue Ribbon Panel, which included, Muhammad Ali, Sir Richard Branson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, and Ricky Martin among other humanitarians.
More information, including video of the Top 10 CNN Heroes, links to their organizations, and highlights from previous CNN HEROES programming can be found at CNNHeroes.com
CNN Announces Presenters And Performers For CNN Heroes 2010
CNN Press Release:Halle Berry, LL COOL J, Bon Jovi, Demi Moore, Eva Longoria Parker and Sugarland to Participate at “CNN Heroes: An All Star Tribute”
CNN today announced performers and presenters who are slated to appear at the fourth annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute, which honors everyday people changing the world. CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute, hosted by CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, will air on Thanksgiving, November 25th at 8pmET/5pm PT from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
Celebrity presenters include: Halle Berry, Demi Moore, Eva Longoria Parker, LL COOL J, Renee Zellweger among others who have yet to be announced. Bon Jovi and Sugarland will perform at the gala.
Preceding the tribute broadcast will be a red carpet special Showbiz Tonight @ CNN Heroes, which will be simulcast on CNN and HLN at 7pm ET/4pm PT. Hosted by Showbiz Tonight’s A.J. Hammer and Brooke Anderson, the special will feature exclusive coverage of celebrity arrivals and interviews, as well as a celebrity-hosted social media suite tapping into the worldwide, online passion and interest in the Heroes event.
The tribute show will honor all of the Top 10 CNN Heroes, currently listed at www.CNNHeroes.com, as well as the “CNN Hero of the Year.” Online voting for the “CNN Hero of the Year” is currently underway and concludes at 6am ET on November 18th. The Top 10 CNN Heroes will receive $25,000, and the CNN Hero of the Year will receive an additional $100,000.
This year’s Blue Ribbon Panel judges include: Muhammad Ali, Ela Bhatt, Sir Richard Branson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Jack Dorsey, Hill Harper, Patricia Heaton, Yo Yo Ma, Ricky Martin, Apolo Anton Ohno, Holly Robinson Peete, Alek Wek and Rainn Wilson. Now in its fourth year, CNN Heroes is a multiplatform campaign that shines a spotlight on everyday people changing the world; in 2010, the campaign received over 10,000 submissions from more than 100 countries.
Award-winning producer/director Joel Gallen returns to executive produce the program. Kelly Flynn is senior executive producer for the CNN Heroes initiative.
CNN today unveiled the Top 10 finalists for CNN Heroes 2010. The release with the names of the finalists is below.
"CNN Heroes" returns on Thanksgiving night, as the network celebrates its fourth year of honoring everyday people changing the world. This year's Top Ten Heroes range from a Scotsman providing free daily meals to 400,000 children to a former child soldier clearing land mines in Cambodia. Ricky Martin, Rainn Wilson, Holly Robinson Peete, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Sir Richard Branson and Muhammad Ali are among the blue-ribbon panelists who selected this year's Top Ten Heroes.
Get to know the Top Ten Heroes:
Susan Burton has helped more than 400 female ex-convicts get back on their feet. Her nonprofit provides sober housing and other support services to formerly incarcerated women in California.
Linda Fondren started Shape Up Vicksburg to help her Mississippi hometown lose weight. Through the group's free fitness activities and nutrition classes, residents have lost nearly 15,000 pounds to date.
Harmon Parker is using his masonry skills to save lives. Since 1997, he has built 45 footbridges over Kenya's perilous rivers, protecting people from flash floods and predatory animals.
Aki Ra is helping to make his native Cambodia safer by clearing land mines. Since 1993, he has helped clear 50,000 mines and unexploded weapons.
Dan Wallrath has given injured Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans their own homes -- mortgage-free.
Anuradha Koirala is fighting to prevent the trafficking and sexual exploitation of Nepal's women and girls. Since 1993, she has helped rescue and rehabilitate more than 12,000 victims.
Narayanan Krishnan brings hot meals and dignity to India's homeless and destitute. Since 2002, he has served more than 1.2 million meals.
Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow launched Mary's Meals, a program that provides free daily meals to more than 400,000 children around the world.
Guadalupe Arizpe De La Vega provides quality health care in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico -- one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Evans Wadongo invented a way for rural families in Kenya to replace smoky kerosene and firelight with solar power and has distributed an estimated 10,000 free solar lanterns.
Help pick the 2010 CNN Hero of the Year. The winner will be announced during the "CNN Heroes: All Star Tribute" on Thanksgiving night at 8 p.m. ET, hosted by Anderson Cooper. Vote now.
CNN Press Release: CNN Commemorates the Fifth Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina with Special Programming throughout the Month of August
This month marks five years since Hurricane Katrina roared ashore in Louisiana and Mississippi, killing over 1,800 people and displacing many more. Just as residents were rebuilding their cities and towns after the storm, the Gulf oil disaster has crippled the region's fishing and tourism industries. CNN programming throughout dayside and into primetime will commemorate the 5th anniversary of the storm with special coverage across all platforms that will chronicle how communities, people and businesses have changed over the past five years and how far the region has come in their rebuilding efforts.
CNN Heroes: Coming Back from Katrina,hosted by CNN anchor Anderson Cooper kicks off CNN’s coverage and checks in with past CNN Heroes who are still in the area including: 2008’s CNN Hero of the Year Liz McCartney and her progress rebuilding homes with her group The St. Bernard Project; Top Ten CNN Hero Tad Agoglia and his First Response Team of first responders to natural disasters; 2009 Top Ten CNN Hero Derrick Tabb and his Roots of Music program for New Orleans kids; as well as additional new interviews with others in New Orleans who are doing great things to help rebuild the city. The half-hour special premieres Saturday & Sunday August 14th & 15th at 7:30pm ET. CNN International will broadcast the special on Sunday, August 22nd at 7am, 2:30pm and 10pm ET and Tuesday, August 24th at 8:30am and 12:30pmET.
New Orleans Rising, reported by CNN’s In America anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien, is an in-depth look at how five years after the hurricane; even a united and highly successful middle-class community like Pontchartrain Park struggles to rebuild. The one-hour documentary, premiering on August 21st at 8pm ET& PT, tells the story of actor and accidental developer Wendell Pierce. Pierce evacuated his elderly parents from their Pontchartrain home before the storm, and it became his mission to lead a charge to return his beloved childhood community to its former glory. While heagreed to lead the effort, Pierce had no experience as a neighborhood developer. But being ‘Pontchartrain to the core,’ he assembles a home-grown team of experts and forms a non-profit community development corporation. CNN documents his battle against bureaucratic red tape, miniscule financing and residents reluctant to return. Terence Blanchard composed and performed the theme music for New Orleans Rising. CNN International will broadcast New OrleansRising on Sunday, August 22nd at 3pm ET.
In 2005, CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta reported from the darkened, flooded hallways of New Orleans’ Charity Hospital with doctors and nurses who had refused to abandon their patients during the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. For Sanjay Gupta M.D. (airs in two parts on Saturday and Sunday, August 28th & 29th at 7:30am ET), Gupta revisits the now-shuttered Charity Hospital with Dr. Ben Deboisblanc, the last doctor standing at Charity following the storm – and learns how the terrible storm has affected his life. Caring for patients during Katrina turned out to be a reprieve of sorts, his 20-year marriage ended shortly before the storm, and living alone and depressed as he battled to rebuild Charity, he discusses with Gupta the challenges many in New Orleans with medical needs have faced five years ago – and now.
CNN.com will feature a special section commemorating the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina at www.cnn.com/katrina. The site will feature select video packages and photos from New Orleans Rising and CNN Heroes: Coming Back from Katrina. Additionally, the section will showcase the rebuilding effort by featuring select photos and videos from CNN iReport, the network's user-generated news community. At CNN iReport, users can find dozens of CNN images taken in 2005 and early 2006 of the aftermath of the storm. iReporters can share information about the neighborhood or area where each photo was taken in the comments section, as well as download the image. Those iReporters located in the Gulf Coast region are encouraged to print the downloaded image, find its original location, and take a photograph lining the old photo up to the present-day view. iReporters can upload these dramatic, past-meets-present photos here.
CNN en Español senior correspondent Juan Carlos López will go back to New Orleans to talk to the families that he encountered when the powerful hurricane hit the coast. He’ll find out where the communities are in their rebuilding efforts. Live coverage will begin Thursday, August 26th and continue through Monday, August 30th.
CNN Press Release: CNN’s Anderson Cooper and several CNN Heroes will come together for a special hour about courage, sacrifice and extraordinary personal commitment to help the people in Haiti. In the days following the devastating earthquake there have been brave and selfless acts of kindness and heroism throughout the country and CNN is dedicating this hour to acknowledge and honor those people. The hour will also follow up with some familiar faces: heroes who were honored by CNN’s annual initiative CNN Heroes and are in Haiti now working to rebuild the country. The special will air on Friday, January 29th on CNN and CNN International at 11pm ET.
Anderson Cooper’s reports on both tireless search and rescue teams as well as Haitians who suffered so much but who went on to help others while maintaining their resilient spirit. CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta will profile surgeons Jerry and Marlon Bitar, twin Haitian brothers who run a hospital in Haiti with minimum supplies, yet they are determined to save lives and rebuild their country. CNN international correspondent Ivan Watson will profile Francois Rozenvil Gertha, a Haitian UNICEF therapist working with the children of Haiti on what is being done to treat the long-term emotional turmoil that follows a human disaster of this magnitude. Before the earthquake, Haiti had an astonishing 380,000 orphans, a number that has greatly increased since. Gary Tuchman, CNN correspondent, introduces us to Jean Robert Cadet, a man committed to rescuing children who have been victimized in Haiti.
In addition to Haiti’s everyday heroes, the special hour will also revisit CNN Heroes who have stepped in and are helping out in the relief and rescue efforts in Haiti. CNN Heroes is in its fourth year of spotlighting everyday citizens accomplishing extraordinary deeds. Doc Hendley, 2009 CNN Top Ten Hero, whose charity Wine to Water brings sustainable water purification systems to countries in need, is distributing the much needed water to the citizens of Haiti. Tad Agoglia and his First Response Team, honored in 2008’s CNN Heroes Tribute Show, will bring their recovery equipment and will be going on missions throughout the city. Boby Duval’s group L’Athletique d’Haiti‘s after-school soccer program, featured in 2007’s CNN Heroes, was created to feed and tutor the children. The soccer field is now a makeshift home to displaced Haitians who are encamped in Cité Soleil.
The special hour is produced by Anderson Cooper 360° executive producer David Doss and CNN Heroes executive producer Kelly Flynn. Executive producer Charlie Moore from Haiti and producer Chuck Hadad in New York also contribute to this hour. The special will re-air on Saturday and Sunday, January 30 and 31st at 8 and 11pm ET and 2am ET.
Stars from stage and screen are gathering at the Kodak Theatre tonight fro CNN Heroes. Here are photos of host Anderson Cooper from the red carpet. CNN Heroes airs Thanksgiving Night (November 26) at 9 PM ET.
If the record number of nominations - 9,000 in total - received this year are anything to go by, the blue ribbon panel that will choose the finalists of the 2009 CNN Heroes will have their work cut out for them.
The panel, which includes: Colin Powell, Sir Elton John, Ted Turner, Mariane Pearl, Shakira and more, will select the top ten candidates, with voting for the eventual CNN Hero of 2009 opened to the public between October and November.
Speaking after nominations officially closed, Jim Walton - President of CNN Worldwide said:
“This record number of nominations is further evidence of the momentum CNN Heroes has built in just a few short years.”
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“Viewers have been engaged by these stories of inspiration and accomplishment beyond our expectations. It is truly an honor to be able to introduce the CNN Heroes to our global audience every year.”
Now in its third year, CNN Heroes aims to recognise everyday people whose selflessness, dedication, and achievement are changing the world. CNN will announce the 2009 “CNN Hero of the Year” and honor the Top Ten CNN Heroes in a gala celebration to air on CNN Domestic on Thanksgiving, November 26, at 9pm (ET/PT) from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. The event will also screen on CNN International and CNN én Espanol.
In the meantime, you can stay up to date with the latest news from CNN Heroes on this blog or via Twitter, CNN.com or Facebook.
Alicia Keys, John Legend to Perform at Second Annual ‘CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute’
CNN Press Release - Hugh Jackman to Present PEOPLE Magazine’s 2008 ‘Heroes Among Us’
CNN today announced celebrities who will be participating in the second annual “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute,” which honors ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary things in their communities and beyond. Hosted by CNN anchor Anderson Cooper from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, the program will air globally on Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 27, at 9 p.m. (ET) on CNN/U.S., CNN International and CNN en Español.
Grammy Award-winning artists Alicia Keys and John Legend will each perform at the “CNN Heroes” gala. Celebrities slated to appear include: Cameron Diaz, Meg Ryan, Forest Whitaker, Salma Hayek, Lucy Liu, Terrence Howard, Jessica Biel, Kate Beckinsale and Selena Gomez. In addition, Hugh Jackman will present PEOPLE Magazine’s 2008 “Heroes Among Us”; PEOPLE has partnered with CNN for this portion of the telecast.
This year’s Blue Ribbon Panel judges included: Queen Rania Al Abdullah; Rabbi Shmuley Boteach; Sir Richard Branson; Deepak Chopra; Jane Goodall, PhD, DBE; Franklin Graham; Earvin “Magic” Johnson; George Lopez; Holly Robinson Peete; Jeffrey Sachs; Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu; and Kristi Yamaguchi.
This year’s Top 10 CNN Heroes, as selected by the Blue Ribbon Panel, were unveiled last month by Cooper on CNN’s American Morning, and their profiles are available at www.CNN.com/Heroes. The public will select the “CNN Hero of the Year” via voting at the CNN Heroes site through Wednesday, Nov. 19. At the Kodak Theatre gala, CNN will honor the 10 heroes and reveal the CNN Hero of the Year, who will receive an additional $100,000. In its second year, the multiplatform initiative received nearly 4,000 submissions from 75 countries.
Joel Gallen, who has helmed ambitious telethon events supporting victims of both the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina, returns as executive producer for the event. Kelly Flynn is senior executive producer for the CNN Heroes initiative.
CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.
CNN - Please note that this Thursday, December 6th, Headline News will air a special CNN Heroes pre-show broadcast LIVE from 8:00pm – 9:00pm ET, pre-empting Nancy Grace in the 8:00pm – 9:00pm hour.
This special will re-air Thursday, December 6th from 11:00pm – 12:00am ET and Friday, December 7th from 2:00am – 3:00am ET, pre-empting Showbiz Tonight in its usual 11:00pm and 2:00am spot.
CNN Pressroom - Global Effort to Honor Heroes Receives 2,500 Nominations from 45 Countries in First Nine Weeks of Submissions
CNN has secured producer-director Joel Gallen, who has helmed ambitious telethon events supporting victims of both the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina, to produce “CNN Heroes,” a year-end awards gala to honor ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary deeds. In a live global broadcast from the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, the event will include musical performances, celebrities presenting the honorees’ stories, and documentary tributes to the CNN Heroes and their accomplishments.
The gala is the culmination of the network’s global “CNN Heroes” initiative, which shines a light on individuals who have made their marks in areas ranging from the environment to civil rights to human health. CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, along with an array of notable co-hosts to be announced later, will present “CNN Heroes” during a special live global broadcast on CNN/U.S. and CNN International on Thursday, Dec. 6, at 9 p.m. (ET).
“There are so few opportunities to celebrate the everyday heroes among us and to remind us all of what a difference just one person can actually make,” Gallen said. “I am proud to be a part of this worldwide event, and I look forward to telling these heroes’ stories in a way that reflects their dedication, their passion and their influence on our society.”
“We care deeply about the world that we cover, and we felt it was important to spotlight those people we are seeing who are dedicating their lives to help others.” said Jim Walton, president of CNN Worldwide. “I am very pleased to welcome Joel aboard and am glad that we will be able to tap into his expertise for this important project.”
For more than two months, CNN Worldwide has featured everyday heroes across its television networks, digital services and at www.CNN.com/Heroes. To date, CNN has received more than 2,500 nominations of people from 45 countries and continues to solicit nominations from its global audience. A blue-ribbon panel will select the winners.
Gallen of Tenth Planet Productions brings a wealth of creativity and experience in live-event tributes and awards-show productions. Only six days after Sept. 11, 2001, he produced and directed the musical telethon, America: A Tribute to Heroes, for which he received both an Emmy and a Peabody award. Among his many other credits, Gallen produced Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast, the MTV Movie Awards and several White House event specials during the Clinton administration.
CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.
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