CNN unveiled its Top 5 CNN Heroes of 2026 on October 28, honoring five grassroots problem-solvers nominated by the public, and online voting for Hero of the Year is now open until November 29.
Each of the five honorees receives a $10,000 prize, and the winner, chosen by public vote, will take home an additional $100,000 at the 20th annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute, hosted by Anderson Cooper and Laura Coates on Saturday, December 5, at 8 p.m. ET. Voting runs from Wednesday, October 28 at 8:30 a.m. ET through Sunday, November 29 at 11:59 p.m. PT, according to CNN's voting disclosures.
Why the CNN Heroes still matter
Twenty years in, the CNN Heroes franchise remains one of the few mainstream platforms that treats community organizing as headline news. According to CNN International, the five honorees are everyday people who saw problems and found their own ways to solve them, and all were nominated by the network's audience.
The Elevate Prize Foundation, a global nonprofit working to, in its words, Make Good Famous, will provide each Hero with a grant plus organizational and capacity-building support. CNN has also partnered again with the fundraising platform Pledge, so supporters can donate directly to the Top 5's nonprofits at CNN.com/Heroes.
In a media moment saturated with outrage and bad-faith noise, these are stories worth amplifying: food justice, housing as a human right, disability inclusion, conservation tied to community health, and compassion for animals. Here is who made the cut.
Dion Dawson: Dion's Chicago Dream
After growing up on Chicago's South Side and enduring homelessness and food insecurity, often waiting hours in food pantry lines, the Navy veteran launched Dion's Chicago Dream in 2020. His nonprofit now employs dozens of community members who deliver more than 80,000 pounds of free, fresh produce to thousands of households across Chicago every week.
We're the Dream Team. It's about giving your community the best possible chance to succeed.
Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka: Conservation Through Public Health
Uganda's first wildlife veterinarian has spent her career protecting endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. When she realized the gorillas' survival was tied to conditions in surrounding communities, she founded Conservation Through Public Health in 2003. Since then, its health and economic initiatives have reached more than 10,000 households, and the area's gorilla population has grown by more than 50 percent.
As long as the communities see the gorillas as their future, the numbers are going to keep growing.
Andrew Lunetta: A Tiny Home for Good
While volunteering at homeless shelters in Syracuse, New York, Lunetta came to a conclusion that should reshape how every city thinks about homelessness: people weren't failing at housing; housing was failing them. His organization, A Tiny Home for Good, has built 23 tiny homes and refurbished more than a dozen others, housing 47 tenants in permanent, supportive homes with long-term case management.
For my tenants, I want a sense of stability and I want connection. If our tenants are afforded both those things, then I'm doing my job.
Jaina Spagis: Cats of San Bernardino
Caring for a stray cat and her kittens in her backyard opened Spagis's eyes to the sheer number of community cats in need across Southern California. She co-founded Cats of San Bernardino, which now leads trap-neuter-return efforts, feeds established colonies, provides medical care for high-need cats, and has placed roughly 2,000 cats and kittens into homes.
I see cats like I see people. They all have different personalities. They all have worth.
Kiko Trujillo: ARSOBO
Born and raised in Nogales, Mexico, industrial engineer Francisco 'Kiko' Trujillo saw the barriers facing people with disabilities in low-income border communities up close. He co-founded Arizona Sonora Border Projects for Inclusion, known as ARSOBO, which provides custom wheelchairs, prosthetics, hearing devices, and rehabilitation programs while employing disabled individuals. The group has served nearly 3,500 people with disabilities to date.
We are changing the lives of not just the patient, but the entire family.
How to vote for the 2026 CNN Hero of the Year
Head to CNN.com/Heroes to cast your vote. The finalist who collects the most votes wins, and the result will be announced live during the December 5 tribute. The CNN Heroes program has a long track record of turning local work into global visibility; past honorees include Anuradha Koirala of Maiti Nepal, whose organization has rescued more than 12,000 trafficked children since 1993, according to Wikipedia.
Frequently asked questions
When does voting close for CNN Hero of the Year 2026?
Voting opened October 28, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. ET and closes November 29, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PT, according to CNN.
What does the CNN Hero of the Year win?
The winner receives an additional $100,000 to continue their work, on top of the $10,000 prize given to each of the Top 5.
When is the CNN Heroes tribute broadcast?
The 20th annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute airs Saturday, December 5, at 8 p.m. ET, hosted by Anderson Cooper and Laura Coates.
Can I donate to the 2026 CNN Heroes?
Yes. Through CNN's partnership with the fundraising platform Pledge, supporters can donate directly to the Top 5's nonprofits at CNN.com/Heroes.