CNN, the worldwide leader in news, announced the Top 10 Heroes of 2014, recognizing everyday people who are changing the world. The network also announced that online voting for the “CNN Hero of the Year” opened October 2, and runs through Sunday, November 16, 2014, at midnight. Voters can log on to CNNHeroes.com to cast ballots for their favorite Top 10 Heroes once a day, every day. Social media users can also share their votes on Facebook and Twitter.
Baltimore’s own Annette March-Grier is one of the 10 nominees for the prestigious award. March-Grier grew up in her family’s funeral home. After her mother’s death, she created Roberta’s House, a nonprofit in Baltimore that helps children and their families cope with grief. Since 2008, more than 1,000 children have benefited from the group’s free programs. Other nominees include humanitarians from the United States and worldwide who are working to improve life for people everywhere.
Peabody Award-winning and Emmy-nominated CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute will air on Sunday, December 7th, at 8:00pm ET on CNN U.S., and will be simulcast on CNN International and CNN en Español. Hosted by Anderson Cooper, and returning to the iconic American Museum of Natural History in New York City, 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 tens of thousands of submissions from more than 100 countries and profiled over 200 heroes.
“It has been CNN’s great honor for the past eight years to shine a spotlight on these remarkable individuals who are making a difference in their communities and the world,” said Jeff Zucker, President of CNN Worldwide. “We are proud to provide a platform for these heroes to share their stories and their important work with our global audiences.”
Each of the Top 10 CNN Heroes will receive a $25,000 grant, and one of the honorees, after global voting, will be named the CNN Hero of the Year, receiving an additional $100,000 grant to further aid their cause. Voting can be done at www.CNNHeroes.com and through the CNN app. Voters will also be able to view the honorees’ profiles on the site.
This year, CNN continues its collaboration with the Annenberg Foundation, a leading supporter of nonprofits worldwide. As part of the prize package, the Annenberg Foundation will provide all of the 2014 Top 10 Heroes free organizational training through a customized version of the Annenberg Alchemy program. Alchemy offers practical guidance for nonprofit leaders in fundraising, communications, management of volunteers and strategies to build and keep a strong board of directors.
For the latest information about the Top 10 CNN Heroes, viewers and online users are encouraged to visit CNN Heroes on Facebook, follow @CNNHeroes on Twitter and use the hashtag #CNNHeroes. Additionally, behind-the-scenes CNN Heroes images can be viewed on CNN Heroes’ Instagram account.