here. why we're here, it has been 365 days since my favorite event of the year. that's right. and it's not a buffet. my favorite event is "cnn heroes," something that is really good for the soul. that's right, i'm talking about two hours of goodness. yes, this is the oscars for good people. this is the super bowl of kindness. this is a party-sized chip bag of decency. it's time to restore your belief in humanity. so, anyway, i got all decked out in my "cnn heroes" swag. i even put on cnn underwear. not really. i mean, kind of really. jake tapper gave it to me. let me show you. can you get the camera lower? what do you mean? i guess they don't want to show that. anyway, enjoy the show. and thank you, heroes, all of you. ♪ >> announcer: from cnn studios at hudson yards in new york city, this is the 14th annual "cnn heroes," an all-star tribute. please welcome your hosts, anderson cooper and kelly ripa. >> welcome to "cnn heroes: an all-star tribute" and welcome to viewers around the world. we usually broadcast this show from the american museum of natural history in new york. this year obviously that is not possible. we do have our own blue whale to make us feel at home, and there it is. >> i'm so glad you brought your blue whale from home. he matches your eyes so beautifully. it's good to be in your quarantine bubble, that is for sure. not only do i get to stand here next to you tonight, but i get to see you all the time. >> we quarantined together, we isolate, we had thanksgiving together. >> that's pretty much all we have is each other. i wanted to be here tonight, because just like all the other "cnn heroes" celebrations, tonight is about hope, decency and compassion. i know i say this every year, but we could all use a little bit of that right now. >> this year we're celebrating the kind acts of people, including the two big stories of the year, the ongoing pandemic and the fight for racial equity and justice. we're going to talk to heroes on the front line of the pandemic and highlight organizations that are doing really critical work right now. for the last few weeks, viewers have been voting on their choice for this year's most inspiring moment and we're going to reveal that top moment later tonight. >> we're so grateful for all of the artists who volunteered their time and participated remotely, jim gaffigan and glenn close joining us again. for the first time, angela bassett will be joining us. i know, and millie bobbie brown is joining us and many others as well. >> anyone else? >> i think there is a surprise guest. >> meghan markle, the duchess of sussex, made sure millions had food during this crisis. >> welcome to our "cnn heroes" family and all our guests. let's get started. >> as we go across the country, we wanted to start with our front line workers, heroes today, during and always because of their selfless work. brad ludd and his organization, first ascents, is being honored for their work. >> another group helps children with cancer. gao gadot. >> we could never forget what they're doing for us, what the hospital workers are doing day in, day out, night after night in the middle of this whorrific pandemic. they're signing in for their shifts exhausted with their heads held high. they're prepared for the worst, covid ravaging. they wear masks until red sores line the bridges of their noses and cheeks. they help intubate patients for hours on end. and when the end has come to countless family members, friends and neighbors, they are the ones who help with the letting go. they're in the room because loved ones can't be. they hold a mom's hand, stroke a father's head, sing hymns to our children. heroes are what they are. and in their extraordinary work for us, they suffer and struggle with that daily trauma and pain. they must find a place to heal and recharge in order to rise again, go back to this courageous, noble and life-saving work. work we will never forget and for which we will always be grateful. >> at the beginning of this, it was haunting walking the halls of three different icus and walking past every single room and it was covid patient, covid patient. you see all these thank you notes in the halls, thank you for risking your life, and you're like, am i really doing this? am i really risking my life? it's very hard to look at life knowing i'm being actively traumatized and i am likely going to have ptsd from this. but you have to put that out of your head because you have to come to work every day and take care of these patients. >> it's just been trauma after trauma in the hospital. i just feel super, super burned out. it's not easy having these conversations and being vulnerable with each other. it's hard work. >> i wanted to have the chance to meet other people who experience these things that no humans, no health care workers should have to experience. but i'm terrified of heights, never rock climbed, so tomorrow will be an experience. >> oh, my gosh. >> you got it. >> i think reaching out and going on this first ascents weekend is another step to reflecting on everything that we've dealt with over the past few months. >> i'm a little terrified and exhausted. just another part of my day-to-day life, i guess. >> we've been pushing ourselves on these new experiences and challenges which i'll take away that empowerment from this. but we've also slowed it down. we focus so much on the lungs of this respiratory viral illness that when you get outside and breathe, you're so thankful for it, because i can breathe. my lungs still work. it feels like we've actually taken those guards down and we're starting to feel things again. maybe moving forward, i can handle this a lot better and knowing that there's other people and i'm not alone. >> whoo! oh, wow. >> so many of us have dealt with emotions that we buried for so many of the past few months, and i don't think any of us could ever have asked for this help. >> i did it! >> and it's truly been a wonderful experience and something that i'll remember for the rest of my life. >> when will we have a vaccine? that was one of the first questions we asked the moment covid hit. whether or not you had it or you watched someone you love who had blood clots and heart struggles, and you truly wonder when. what is the speed of this vaccine? usually it takes years and years to develop an effective one, but not at this moment. we rallied the smartest people we know across this country and around the world to find it faster than ever before. scientists and researchers hunkered down in their labs with the weight of our future on their shoulders. they tested and retested. they went through the rigors of the trials. and they couldn't have done this work without the extraordinary souls who offered their health and well-being, who raised their hands, volunteered and said, i'll do it for the sake of humanity. to the men and women who worked so hard for this treatment and the women and men who willingly signed up for every trial, know that our gratitude is as deep and profound as your commitment was to save countless lives in this world. >> i'm a scientist at moderna and dedicated my entire life to finding this vaccine. you're working extremely hard late into the night. you come home and on the news is the pandemic. >> breaking news, a potential vaccine on the coronavirus. >> it was almost like living in a movie. the movement of each one of these batches feels different to me, because you can statistically look at how many hospitalizations in each of these batches they potentially save and how many deaths. it's a powerful thing to think about. >> the covid-19 vaccine will be the first to be distributed using the gene-based technology. >> i feel like we were all lucky in a way that the science was there and the research was there. >> testing with millions and millions of doses. >> the team had finally gotten across the finish line and they sent a photograph showing their pride. it really was a tremendous thing to see that. we started to see the first press coverage of the phase 1 initiation. to see it there being injected into a patient was incredible. just to think about these heroes among us that are helping us bring the vaccine for everyone, for me and my family, too. >> don baker is one awn baker i heroes. a local news anchor, she spent the last nine months reporting how many lives had been lost to covid-19. >> the numbers to me were never just numbers. they were always about the people. in my family we know nine people who have lost their lives. that was enough for me to do something that would make a change. >> in july, dawn received the first shot of the phase 3 trial in the u.s. >> we dosed the first patient. >> she was prepared for any possible side effects, but not for negative backlash. >> i did learn about some negative comments that black people should not be a part of a study like this. i understand there is legitimate mistrust of health care and the government because of what has happened to blacks in america. but i do also realize that most of us over a certain age, we're alive because of vaccines, and at some point we have to trust something. so my friends who lost loved ones to covid-19 have reached out to me and thanked me for what i've done, and i just want to make sure that we're all okay. >> making sure we're all okay. a tremendous sacrifice for our safety. >> it's an enormous responsibility for us. every minute matters ensuring that this is done right and we can get this vaccine available to everyone who needs it as soon as possible. >> if you want to support front line workers and their communities during this ongoing health care crisis, go to cnnheroes.com. you'll see a donate button for the center of disaster philanthropy. they're dedicated to making sure resources go into locations that need them the most in hard times. every little bit counts. >> i want to introduce a doctor who has been on the front lines battling pandemics long before covid-19. he recently received a thomas j. hayman medal, a recognition for employees. welcome, dr. anthony fauci. thank you for being with us. >> thank you for having me, anderson. >> on the front to understand this virus versus other pandemic viruses you've worked on, what has it been like? >> it's just been rapid fire. we've had this very unusual situation in its scope and its magnitude and its impact is historic in the sense of nothing like this in the last 102 years. in all the viruses i've been involved with, i've never seen one that could have such a degree of breadth, of broadness, of manifestations to nothing of deadly. and the spread from human to human is highly contagious. it can be spread in the community by people who don't have any symptoms . i mean, it really is ganging up on us. >> the heroic effort we've seen to come up with a vaccine, what has that taught you? >> the thing that's been so unusual in a positive sense is that you've had something done in less than a year that would have taken several years. so science has really stepped to the plate and given us something in a record time. >> you've worked with a lot of people who do heroic work. who are your heroes in this? >> you know, anderson, my heroes are clear. my heroes are the front line health care providers, the doctors, the nurses putting themselves on the line every single day, risking their own health and their own safety and that of their families to serve the public. to me they are superheroes. >> how do you cope with this kind of pressure? >> well, anderson, the way i cope with it is just focus on the enormity of the problem and the mission and the goal that i have, is to end this terrible pandemic. when you focus like a laser beam, all the other stuff, as stressful as it could be, it becomes peripheral. there is an end to this and you want to be part of that process of ending it. so other things, you just don't let it get in the way. >> what do you tell people in this time where the vaccine is in sight but it's not there yet, and you can still get infected and you can still get hospital and you can still die? and many are dying right now. >> anderson, you make an extraordinarily important point. a vaccine is literally on the cusp of the threshold. it's here. people are going to start getting vaccinated in the next few weeks as we get into mid to late december. now is not the time to get infected. please take care of yourself, do the public health measures, keep distance, wear masks, avoid crowded situations, do things outdoors more than indoors. simple stuff to protect you and to protect those around you because it's almost like a war, and we're coming to the end, we're coming to the relief. you don't want to be somebody who gets infected because you get careless when help is near and the end is in sight. so all the more motivation for people to double down on public health measures. >> dr. anthony fauci, thanks for all the work that you and everybody at the nih has been doing. thank you. >> thank you very much for having me, anderson. throughout the year, there have been a number of moments that brought us joy and inspiration. the last few weeks you've been telling us which of this year's most inspiring moments is your favorite. here's a look at our first one tonight, and following each of them we'll hear from viewers sharing why that particular moment moved them. take look and enjoy. >> before we never noticed the shift change. we didn't see the health care workers and first responders heading home after a long day, but now we do. we celebrated these heroes every night in cities around the world. >> everyone in health care, you are my hero. >> beat that drum, ring that bell in celebration of what they do. >> we need them more now than ever. >> i'm so grateful for all of those who put their lives at risk to benefit others. >> they are true heroes that have inspired the world to break out into song. >> they keep going back and doing their jobs under the circumstances. >> we will be here. coming up, millie bobbie brown, meghan markle. over two million meals provided. over four hundred national parks protected. in fact, subaru and our retailers will have proudly donated over two hundred million dollars to national and hometown charities through the subaru share the love event. (vo) get 0% for 63 months and subaru will donate 250 dollars to charity. i felt gross. people were afraid i was contagious. i was covered from head to toe. i was afraid to show my skin. after i started cosentyx i wasn't covered anymore. four years clear. five years now. i just look and feel better. see me. real people with psoriasis look and feel better with cosentyx. don't use if you're allergic to cosentyx. before starting, get checked for tuberculosis. an increased risk of infections and lowered ability to fight them may occur. tell your doctor about an infection or symptoms, if your inflammatory bowel disease symptoms develop or worsen, or if you've had a vaccine, or plan to. serious allergic reactions may occur. five years is just crazy. see me. learn more at cosentyx.com. help the world believe in holiday magic.thing and this year was harder than ever. and yet, somehow, you all found a way to pull it off. it's not about the toys or the ornaments but about coming together. santa, santa, you're on mute! just wanted to say thanks. thanks for believing. welcome back to "cnn heroes: an all-star tribute." not only are we honoring heroes and inspiring moments from this year, we're also recognizing three young people who refused to let challenges get in the way of solving problems and help those in need. we call them our young wonders. >> before we do that, i want to show everyone your young wonder. there's wyatt. he's the most beautiful baby ever. he is gorgeous and perfect, and i love watching you become a dad. it's been my favorite thing this year. >> amazing. so cute. >> he wants to come and play. >> i know. he's very sweet. >> i'm going to go get him. >> no. let's not. >> now here to introduce our first young wonder is unicef's youngest goodwill ambassador and one of the stars of "stranger things," millie bobbie brown. >> when this pandemic hit, i thought about my family right away. i'm so close to them all and i care for them very much. calvin bell feels the same way, especially about his grandmother. he adores her. he didn't want to go out and get food and get sick, so he enlisted his mum to go to the grocery store, buy essentials and deliver them to his grandmother at senior community. calvin saw that all her friends needed help, too, so he took his entire savings, a little more than $600, and brought them food and supplies. when word spread about his generosity, the donations and the love for all grandparents poured in. cavanaugh dreams big because that's the size of his wise, young heart. >> my grandma is my best friend, so when covid happened, i wanted to help her, support her, make sure that she ate. >> they're really, really close, and he befriended most of the senior citizens that lived in her facility, so he was aware of who had this problem and that problem, so for him it was a sense of urgency that he really understood early on. >> so i used my life savings and i made care packages for the seniors. >> wonderful. thank you, cavanaugh! >> i wanted to make sure they know that they're loved. i have given out more than 600 care packs to senior citizens. >> keep up the good work. >> we started getting people asking, can we drop off toiletry items? and we got donations coming in from all over the world. >> and that's how i started my own community pantry. >> guys, look what we got. >> we understaended up getting donated that was in a nice big parking lot. >> so people would just pull up and bring food to the backs of their cars. we fed 801 people. welcome to pine ridge! >> the summer of 2018, we ended up traveling through pine ridge reservation. >> most of the houses don't even have electricity, running water. i don't think anyone should be living like that. >> one day at the pantry, he's like, remember that reservation? well, i think now is the time we can help them. >> the trailer is here! this is everything going on the trailer. look at this. >> those are all the books we had donated. >> they were really excited. >> i think he also gives people that sense that you don't necessarily know who is out here rooting for you. >> it's good to see you! >> this is the beginning of the journey of cavanaugh, and he still has many more decades to go. that's the scary part. >> anyone can have impact no matter their age. >> thank you so much. >> with love, we can get through this together, and we can make this world a better place. >> he's doing such great work. >> how about that! >> cavanaugh joins us. congratulations, cavanaugh. >> thank you. >> that is so great. what an award, huh? >> tell us about your grandma. what do you love most about her? >> that she's a hard worker. because when her knee hurts sometimes and i need her to help me, she always finds a way to help me. that's what i love about my grandma. >> and i hear that you're starting a new big and littles program? >> yes. so big and littles is where we match up kids with senior citizens so senior citizens don't feel lonely. and for the holidays, the littles are going to make 100 special care packs for 100 special senior citizens. >> what a great kid. >> there is a lot of young people out there who would love to get involved and do stuff but don't really know how to go about it. what would you recommend? >> well, what i usually say is whatever you believe, you can achieve. and it's up to us kids to create the future that we deserve. >> you're doing such amazing work. thank you so much for being with us. we wish you the best. >> thank you. >> thanks, cavanaugh. >> wow. >> he's great. there are 50 million students in our education system. >> here to talk about how we reimagine school and learning in the face of the pandemic is a champion forr alice's kids, a nonprofit organization that provides help for children with immediate need, and the star for the grammy-nominated comedy album "i love everything," here's pat oswald. >> we forget how it all started. the high school in washington state was the first to close when someone got sick. for two days they wiped down the school. and then another school got sick. when they declared a pandemic, over 1 million students were adjusting to online learning. over 50 million bright students were now at home. at first it seemed like an early spring break, but as the virus took hold of the nation, it took the lives of star teachers, principals, januaitors and belod bus drivers. it was clear a new dawn for education was upon us with all the old inequities laid bare. how do we feed the millions of kids who depend on breakfast and lunch as their only meal of the day? and how do kids who don't have wi-fi get it? how do we give our kids what they need every single day? could this be an educational moment that would bring sacrifice and caring? within minutes, educators, parents, heroes every single one of them, went to work for our kids. take a look. >> distance learning. >> dthere is a virus going on ad no one can be at school. >> for most of us it was a new idea, and for many it inspired -- >> panic. i just was real anxious about using the technology and how am i going to get it to work. >> for it all to work, everyone had to be flexible, not just teachers but students -- >> you don't know how to log in, you don't know how to find the assignment. >> he couldn't get logged on the first day of school. he had to go there three times. >> schools scrambled to get students laptops and the digital divide that already existed got deeper. some students sat outside their school for the free wi-fi while two determined sisters resorted to logging on at taco bell. >> the girls went there because they didn't have internet. they wanted to study. >> a phone, a pack of raisins. >> students in need also missed their school lunches, so an aide provided more than 700 meals in one day. many teachers went above and beyond to engage their students. >> just because the world stopped doesn't mean i'm going to stop, so they shouldn't stop. >> math teacher pedestrian ro dones introduced his students to the big auction. >> here he is, the big auction. he's back for you, baby. today we're going to talk about the complimentary angles. >> some teachers drop by just to say hi. >> i miss you! were you confused? we wanted to surprise you. >> while others said -- ♪ i'll be here for you ♪ when you're learning at home ♪ i'll be here for you ♪ and you'll watch me on chrome. >> and when school finally reopened, staffers rallied to navigate the new normal. one teacher raised money to buy a sink for her classroom so her students could wash their hands, while an alabama principal put his safety guidance to music. >> you better put that mask up. it's the cdc, not me. hey, go wash your hands. >> even though our time-honored traditions looked different, we kept going. >> it meant a lot. it made me feel loved and appreciated, and honestly, i can't ask for more than that. >> everyone learned lessons about hard work, creativity and resilience. and in a year like no other, that is worth celebrating. >> if you want to support our fantastic and heroic educators, go to cnnheroes.com and click on the donate button for adop adoptaclassroom.org. there are too many teachers who can't do what they want for their students. adopt a classroom gives them much needed resources. >> and we'll talk about students responding to the need for food during the pandemic. now let's take a look at another one of this year's inspiring moments. this summer, millions of people worldwide were willing to risk their lives amid the pandemic by stepping out and stepping up to protest systemic racism. they called for justice and equality everywhere, inspiring a movement of all ages, races, religions and creeds. >> the first three words of the constitution is "we the people." >> no matter what color you are, religion you are, whether you're old or young. >> people of all races support the black lives matter movement. >> risking your health to fight for whatever is right and has always been right. >> gays' rights, trans' rights, women's rights. >> one day we're going to get through this. one day we're going to live in harmony. next, angela bassett celebrates the power of protest. and later, glenn close, orlando bloom, and meghan, the duchess of sussex. "cnn heroes: an all-star tribute" proudly supporting loved ones and their families for 75 years. my name is jack wood. i helped found team rubicon. it runites first responders wit people who are injured. we managed all the distribution of ppe for the entire city of chicago. we've been operating dozens of mobile test sites throughout the country. what we built is a platform where we can take these skilled military veterans and match them up with communities in the wake of natural sdadisasters. team rubicon can imagine a future with any military crisis, and it looks to their veterans to lead them through it. aaaah! nooooo nooooo quick, the quicker picker upper! bounty picks up messes quicker and is 2x more absorbent, so you can use less. bounty, the quicker picker upper. we're back with "cnn heroes." in many ways this was brought out of protest. three men boarded a boat in protest. as you know, they emptied 300 gallons of tea into the water. other protests followed until independence from britain became a reality. >> to talk about the power of protests during this year is the star and executive producer of the hit series "911" and angela bassett. >> back in 1918, there was a convention for the clothing workers in america. people were organizing and trying to create new labor laws, laws like the 40-hour work week, sick days, holidays, safety precautions, equal pay -- still working on that one -- and not letting children work in dangerous coal mines. extremely important labor laws that continue to protect our work force today. but one of the speakers, nicholas klein, made this point as they were being called radicals and other names as they advocated for this change. he said, first they ignore you. then they ridicule you. and then they attack you and want to burn you. and then they build monuments to you. that's the flow of protest. think about it. the abolitionist, ridiculed at first, and now the abhorrence of slavery is forever. think about the jets spit on, and it wasn't over for women. their fight was even longer and harder, and tonight we're all walking on shattered glass thanks to our president-elect. how about rosa parks? she had had enough and refused to move from her seat. the montgomery boycott launched soon after. when the world saw george floyd on the ground with a knee on his neck for nearly eight minutes, the black lives matter movement was no longer considered on the radical fringe of protest. the clarion call for equality was our moral compass. it finally put us and the heroes among us on the path to building our great and righteous monument to justice. >> this is what change looks like. massive protests, millions in the streets. wanting to be heard. >> i can't breathe! >> even amid the threat of a global pandemic. but the outrage was about more than one man. the message was simply black lives matter. >> it made me feel like finally. for so long, black people have challenged mainstream america to accept us, see us, love us, and this moment, it's been powerful. >> we, the jury, found george zimmerman not guilty. >> what started in 2013 as a hash tag protesting disregard for black lives catapulted into a global reckoning. >> i definitely felt like the conversation was being forced to shift. we were no longer questioning if racism existed. >> george floyd's brutal death brought people of all races, ages and backgrounds together as never before. >> it's not george floyd's case that was different, it's that we are living in a different time, under a global pandemic, and that people are tired, and we know that we deserve better. >> at the demonstrations, the vast majority of which were peaceful, many reached out to break down boundaries. >> i was like, oh, my god, he's by himself. we just formed that barricade. >> i want to make this a parade, not a protest. >> these moments show the possibility of a new opening of hearts across the country. in washington, d.c. on the evening of june 1st, peaceful protesters were driven from the white house half an hour before citywide curfew took effect. police blocked off streets. eventually hundreds were corralled on a northwest street near d.c. at the home of raul dubet. >> what i saw were people confused. i saw fear. they were trapped on the street trying to get home. >> we were basically like sardines in a little box. >> face to face with that many police officers in riot gear. the hair on my arms was standing up. >> you hear this loud bang and i saw the clubs coming out and pepper spray flying everywhere. all i could do was open the door and scream, get in the house! >> i looked over and he was the only person on the whole street letting people in. >> people came flying in. >> there was like 70 people you don't know running into his house. there was a virus going on, and he was just there holding the door open. they pepper sprayed into the house. it was chaos. people had milk and stuff. >> he ended up sheltering 72 people in his house, complete strangers, overnight. >> if we sleep in here, is that okay with you? >> yes. >> and that's the beauty of what happened that night. everyone got home that morning. >> while the night ended, their connection continued. >> it's time to do the work. >> they come over probably four times a week talking business, politics. he didn't just open the door once, he opens doors for us every day. >> for me this was a tragically beautiful gift. prior to june 1st, i put my head in the sand. but to see the atrocity show up on your front door, if people like me don't open the door, then really, who will? >> in murray, kentucky tattoo artist ryan king and jeremiah swift began covering hate tattoos for free. >> seeing people risking their lives for the black lives matter movement on tv, that moved me greatly. >> since june their cover the hate campaign has gotten hundreds of responses from all over the world. they've covered up dozens, averaging two three a week. >> most of these tattoos are pretty old, worn and outdated, just like that idealogy. >> growing up, i was never raised to be racist. i just was around with the wrong people, and i wanted to show everyone that i was above them. i look back on it now and i'm ashamed of it. i got two granddaughters. they're mixed. i love my grandbabies to death. i don't want to have to explain that. i always wanted someone to cover them up, but it would be a big chunk of money. it's like a change in life, and this is the last up, and this man is here to help you fulfill it. >> okay. >> that is so cool. >> it's a really good film to get rid of that gone everywhere from the world. one tattoo at a time. >> wrap it up for christmas, man. >> i'm excited. i'm so thrilled to be able to show my grandsons. >> this is how change happens. >> the protest is actually at the center of how this country has been able to thrive, and i believe that everybody has a lane when it comes to being a part of this movement. that's what it's going to take to actually live in a country that believes and proves that black lives matter. >> the equal justice initiative is an organization that's committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in our justice system. you can support their ifrefforto challenge racial and economic injustice by clicking on the button on cnn.com. and now, another of this year's most moving and inspiring moments. >> for nearly eight minutes, george floyd pleaded for his life. his death sparked worldwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism. after a press conference, his daughter gianna shared a hope with us all. >> in spite of the brutal killing of george floyd, his daughter was able to rise. >> gianna is a light in the dark. >> her daddy changed the world. >> he really did. >> but this was a wake-up call. >> there is so much injustice that needs to be dealt with. >> if this hadn't happened to george floyd, the world may still be the same. >> this world will not generate hate. >> we can't just sit back and watch our lives never matter again. >> announcer: next on "cnn heroes," megan the duchess of sussex, of neighbors coming together to address the pandemic around the world. "cnn heroes" is sponsored by humana. in a land not so far away, people are saving hundreds on the most reliable network with xfinity mobile. they can choose from the latest phones or bring their own. and choose the data option that's right for them. they even get nationwide 5g at no extra cost. and since they are on the carrier rated #1 in customer satisfation, they live happily ever after. again, again! xfinity mobile. your wireless. your rules. your way to stay closer together. click, call, or visit an xfinity store today. welcome back. before the pandemic hit, more than 37 million americans experienced food insecurity. more than one-third of them were children. today those numbers have grown. reported to be as high as 50 million people, including 18 million children. >> to share how communities have joined together to feed the hungry is champion of world central kitchen, meghan, duchess of sussex. >> a year that has been universally challenging for everyone, i'm inspired by the stories of compassion in our communities. across the country, people have put their own needs aside to come together and support the collective well-being of those around them. back in march, the covid-19 crisis hit hard and overnight everything seemed to change. for many families, the impact of the pandemic has been catastrophic. and far too many were faced with a heartbreaking question, how am i going to put food on the table for my family? but in the face of this devastating reality, we also saw the power of the human spirit and the remarkable ways that communities respond in challenging times. we saw the good in people, in our neighbors and in entire communities coming together to say they would not stand by while our neighbors went hungry. we saw communities standing up and taking action. when kids' lunch programs came to a halt, we saw our neighbors make sure those children receive the nutrition they need. and when those who were immunocompromised or most vulnerable couldn't leave their homes, we as a community showed up to deliver the food they needed to their doorsteps. we know the value of food as nourishment, as a life source, and in moments of crisis, the warmth of a meal can feel as comforting as a much-needed hug, especially in the absence of human contact due to the social distancing we're all experiencing. these moments reminded so many that they're cared for. tonight we are celebrating these quiet heroes, some of whom i know and others that we applaud from afar. these individuals stood up and made sure the most basic needs of our communities were met. they made sure that those around them did not have to suffer in isolation. they nourished their neighbors in more ways than one. and they showed us, all of us, that even in the darkest times, when we come together, we have the power to remind someone else that there is hope and that we will be okay. >> i've always been able to keep food on the table until the pandemic. >> with traditional resources stretched thin, restaurants, schools, veterans and neighbors all stepped up to feed their communities. michelle brenner of washington was one of them. >> what i love most about cooking is the comfort that i can create for others. >> when the pandemic hit, michelle lost her job, but she soon found a new calling, homemade la zsagna for anyone f free. she spent her entire stimulus ec which on the effort. soon others donated a commercial kitchen and supplies. >> this cheese mixture which seems to be the star of the show. >> since april, she survived on unemployment, spending her days cooking for first responders, seniors, busy moms and those struggling to make ends meet. >> and this is today's last lasagna. it's now time to deliver lasagna love. >> all told, she's made and given away nearly 5,000 lasagnas. >> you're so awesome. >> we are here to take care of one another. >> i have almost nothing in my kitchen, so this is fantastic. >> i am the lasagna lady, and i am okay with that. >> in march as people prepared for the shutdown -- >> i started to see a rise in fear. people were struggling to fill up their fridge. >> shelly tity shelly tie gill others could use a hand. >> there were over 400 individuals who filled out the form to get help, and over 500 people who filled out the form to give help. >> for effort known as pandemic of love went viral. within says, susie israel received help. >> i was just blown away. >> someone just messaged me and said i can help you and tell me how i can help you. >> now as a volunteer, susie digitally matches donors with those in need. >> no more free meals from school, no more free lunch at daycare, no more shift meals at work. i started to worry we were going to starve to death at home. >> you won't believe what i have today. >> i'm so excited. >> while most donors fill needs virtually, susie also delivers donated food to local families every week. >> thanks! >> good job. bread and vegetables and fruits and cereal. she's my food angel. >> i feel lucky to have been a con due it to help her. >> see you next time! >> it makes me feel like i am not by myself. >> through pandemic of love, more than 460,000 people have received more than $50 million with help with food, bills and rent. >> i think what the pandemic has taught us is we may not be all in the same boat, but we're in the same storm. we need each other. >> i just love what they are all doing and to support one of the most active organizations in this effort, go to cnnheroes.com and click on the donate button for world central kitchen. >> here to tell us about the work they're doing to fight hunger, chef jose andres. thanks for joining us. talk about what you've been able to do during this pandemic. you've been doing work on this really from the beginning. >> i mean, anderson, we saw this coming very early. in february we were already in japan feeding people in yokohama. before we knew, the same thing was hooappening in oakland, california. we saw this pandemic was going to be a problem. >> you've been working around europe and the united states during this time. you're seeing people who had not been in food lines before. >> we had many people, everyday americans, some of them many generations that they are having a hard time because they love their job, they never got unemployment. and all of a sudden for first time in their lives, they have to be in line for food bank or for a soup kitchen. this, to a degree, is wrong. it shouldn't be the american way. we can do better. we must do better. >> how can somebody watching tonight help feed the hungry? how can somebody get involved? >> you know, one way to feed the hungry is making sure that we make the political will. we the people, we need to remember that america is really in a crisis. it's actually mitch mcconnell's kentucky where 13% of the people say they don't have enough to eat as well as nancy pelosi's california where you see 11%. this is a problem that shouldn't be happening. why fema is absent in a moment that millions of americans are hungry in the 50 states. those are questions that frankly i would love to get answers. that's why working with many other great organizations, we've been stepping out. we need to redefine what it means to take care of americans. we can do this at the same time that we empower the economy. we were able to put 3,000 restaurants at work, empower restaurants to feed the communities, help the government. every dollar you feed somebody you are putting the economy back at work. this is the smart way to do it. >> who are your heroes during this last year? >> i see young people ready to jump in not caring about who you are or your religion, the color of your skin, what's the accent you have, speaking english, that they are only with one goal in mind, to make sure that they can provide aid and relief and hope with a smile. in our case, we hope that through one food at awe ti times that way to show empathy and hope and for hope of a better tomorrow. >> i appreciate it much. since 2008, no lucky organization has been cnn than subaru. their ongoing philanthropic efforts have been ongoing through the pandemic. >> thank you, anderson. and welcome everybody. being honest. 2020 has been a year a lot of us would like to forget, but i believe it's been given to us to help us realize what's truly important. that's our family and the citizens that need help. each of the charity organizations tonight are demonstrating how they're helping and subaru is doing our part in helping others by investing in our annual share the love event. by the end of 2020, subaru and retailers would have given over $200 million to national and local charities all around the country. tonight we're here to not only pay tribute to these charity organizations but to assist them in continuing their great work of helping others. and that, my dear friends, takes money. so, please join subaru in donating to tonight's charity organizations. and if you do, subaru will match your donations up to a total of $500,000. we at subaru know first hand that helping others creates love and that love always triumphs. so, please help us share the love by donating now at cnnheroes.com. thank you very much. coming up, jeffrey rice honors heroes upholding democracy. and later we'll reveal your choice for this year's most inspiring moments. and later, an unforgettable performance. >> what subaru did with cnnheroes, we were automobile to change our game. >> thanks to the donation match we got, we were able to grow the organization to reach more children and that's critical. >> we've extended to major countries around the country and served over 1,100 young adults impacted by cancer. we were able to expand our programs which helped veterans decompress from the trauma of war. >> we're incredibly grateful to everyone who made a donation so subaru can match those donations. >> without the generosity of organize zaugss like subaru, we wouldn't be able to do what we do. >> it gives people like me an opportunity to take their generosity and pay it forward and expand and help other people i would never have been able to. >> subaru has helped over 80 heroes in their partnership, giving over $3 million for their grants. compared with the generosity of those across america, we have the ability to make the world a better place. now more than ever, it's important to give. every donation has the power to lift those in need, build important programs and strengthen communities for the challenges to come. as always, each dollar donated will be matched by subaru as part of the subaru love promise, a commitment to being more than just a car company. together, we can all be and do more. we can truly make a difference. please donate today. we're back with cnn heroes. please know that subaru is matching all of your donations to all of the organizations we're highlighting tonight. so, if you can give, go to cnnheroes.com and click on the donate button. >> even in the face of a pandemic, americans turned out in record numbers during this year's election. the right to vote, though, wasn't always available to all americans. it began with just white male land owners and through hard fought battles, civil war, women's suffrage, and the civil rights movement we added amendments and laws to ensure that all citizens can exercise this fundamental right. >> here to show case some of those heroes who work tirelessly to secure that right today is one of the founders of brooklyn for life, which is feeding frontline workers and helping small businesses during the pandemic. and one of the stars of the upcoming new feature, "the batman" filming now in london is commissioner gordon, which is perfect. please welcome acclaimed actor, jeffrey wright. >> democracy can be fragile. but each and every time it looks like it's hanging by a thread, the most powerful, miraculous and awe-inspiring thing happens, people vote. they mail in their ballots, they stand in the rain, they think about their dreams and their hopes for their kids and families. i voted this year with my son, his first time. he exited our polling place in brooklyn to applause. americans wait for hours to lend their voice to the chorus of this magnificent country, and they wait sometimes for days for their votes to be counted. it's a solemn and sacred right. and when there are barriers built that limit who can and cannot show up at the polls, whose vote will or will not be counted, we need leaders who will not be moved, who will do whatever is required to knock down those barriers, who will shout from mountain tops that everyone who is able owns the power of the vote, who will teach the younger generations to get into good trouble for the cause and how to fight for the rights of all even until their final hours on this earth. this year, of all years, we lost one of those leaders. congressman john lewis. but because of his work, his love of our fragile democracy, his insistence that it will as described in the words that frame it and because of the legacy passed down to countless new young leaders, we still insist. and we march and we organize. with our eyes forever fixed on the promise of america. >> we're seeing record numbers of people -- >> in 2020, voters made their voices heard on a massive scale, despite the threat of the pandemic. >> there ugo. >> awesome. >> it was in many ways a celebration of democracy. after the election, the president refusing to accept the outcome, americans defended the democratic process, on the streets, online -- >> how dare you try to silence the voice of the citizens. >> -- in local government. >> we must not exercise powers we do not have. >> and in court, chris krebs was in charge of securing the elections. when he insisted there had been no fraud, he was fired. he praised others like georgia's secretary of state brad raffensperger for standing their ground on "60 minutes." >> he put country before his party in a free and fair election. there are some real heroes out there, some real patriots. >> some patriots have spent their lives pushing for democracy, like congressman john lewis, who led a peaceful march in selma, alabama, later known as bloody sunday. he helped pass the land mark voting rights act of 1965. in july, his death was mourned as the end of an era. >> this is our moment. this is our time, and it's right now. >> but a new generation has continued his fight. veteran desmond meade is a lawyer and voting rights advocate. but years ago, he struggled with addiction and went to prison. >> with the felony convictions because i live in the state of florida, i lost the right to vote for the rest of my life. >> a relic of the jim crow era, by 2016, the law was disenfranchising more than 1.4 million floridians. desmond decided that had to change. >> all across this state, there are people yearning to have their voices her. >> it's bigger than right versus left or red versus blue. what's going on here is about humanity. >> together they started a campaign to restore voting rights to returning citizens who completed their sentences. >> it's about real american citizen who is did something wrong, paid the price, and deserve opportunity to participate in our democracy. >> in november 2018, amendment 4 passed with more than 60% of the vote. >> we were able to get people from all walks of life to say yes. it's in those moments that we're beautiful as a country. >> but months later, a new state law required returning citizens to pay all legal fines and fees before they could register to vote. the big obstacle for nearly 775,000 people. >> no floridian should be forced to choose between paying their rent or voting. >> the issue is still in court. desmond's non-profit the florida rights restoration coalition has set up a hotline and raised $27 million to help people pay their debt and register to vote. >> welcome back to democracy, mr. lopez. good to have you back. >> what's up, family? >> this fall, desmond crisscrossed florida, a cheerleader for democracy. >> this is what community looks like. >> i don't think there's a better evangelist for democracy than somebody who lost the right to vote and then got it back. >> and this october, desmond finally cast his own ballot. >> how long have you been waiting on this day? >> all my life. >> it was his first time ever voting in a presidential election. >> i'm grateful to be able to participate in democracy. >> this year, more than 50,000 returning citizens finally got that same chance. >> voting is something that's higher than politics. i think it really is. this is about human dignity. >> this year, the country lost supreme court justice ruth bader ginsburg. when the court overturned many of the pillars of the civil rights act in belly county v homer, she read her dissent in full from the bench. democracy depends on citizens being engaged in a process in free and fair elections. and this past one saw record voter turnout. >> if you go to cnnheroes.com, you can click on the donate button for issue voter. this is a non-partisan online platform that allows you to support or oppose new laws. it encourages you to share your views with your representatives, keeps track of their voting record and ensures that your voice continues to be heard. we'll be right back. >> next, celebrate one of our young wonders. lesl lesley ode m junior performs. 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i switched to geico and got more! more savings on car insurance!? they helped with homeowners, too! ok! plus motorcycle, boat and rv insurance! geico's got you covered! like a blanket! houston? you seeing this? geico. expect great savings and a whole lot more. >> we're back. our second young wonder is a force for change. >> here to share her story say change agent, one of the cofounders of seven sun productions. >> here's what young people know. young black, brown, indigenous, asian, queer and every other beautiful and powerful intersection. we know injustice surrounds us and we're not going to be quiet any longer. because when you can lose your life for wearing a hoodie, for jogging, driving, walking, eating, sleeping, change isn't only necessary, it's the air we need to breathe new life into our futures. that's why this time, after george floyd felt that knee on his neck, tiana day and her then 17 years of wisdom acted. she drew on the strength of her ancestors and helped organize her first protest. t tiana thought maybe 50 people would show. but that june day thousands marched for miles and for change and the glow and the glory of the golden gate bridge. >> there's no better place to do a protest than the golden gate. the bridge is a gap, and this is the gap of inequality. i just graduated high school as well as saw the viral video of george floyd's death. i just felt this pit feeling of i have all this fire in me. i had to do something. i'm just going through my instagram feed and i see this girl who's like we're going to have a protest on the golden gate bridge, but we don't have a leader from the black community to lead it. i was like, hey, i'll lead your protest. she was like, you know it's tomorrow, right? so, i made a little flier and i posted it on my social media. the permit nene obtained was for 50 to 300 people. and that day thousands of people showed up. to march in solidarity. >> no justice, no peace! >> there were people of all backgrounds. and it was really just a day where i felt so much love in the air. >> i was elated that so many people felt empowered to take to the streets. i was like, wow, we just went viral. >> i grew up in california, and i felt very singled out being one of the only black girls in this area. my dad grew up somewhere where police brutality is very normal. we know we are the generation of change. my dad said you remind me a lot of myself when i was younger. he was telling me, like when i was your age i was very active in the rodney king movement. >> my dad was an activist. he was a member of the black panther party. it was just a part of who we are inside. >> and for me to hear that, i was like, woah, it's generational. this is the first sign i ever made. after the golden gate bridge protest, i remember being like how can i make a change in the world? >> what do we want? >> justice. >> when do we want it? >> now. >> so i founded these advocates for change, and our mission is to amplify local voices. i've had now seven protests. >> i've seen her finally find her calling in life. and when you have a fire that's lit inside of you, there's nothing that can slow you down or stop you. >> we need to see the world differently. we need to love each other. i have this platform now to help people who feel the same way that i do, and it's changed my life forever. >> amazing. >> incredible. >> yeah. tiana joins us now. congratulations. >> thank you guys so much. >> we're so happy to meet you. what did it feel like to have all those people march with you that day? >> it was indescribable. i mean, i'm speechless every time i talk about it because i've never done anything like that. i've never led a march. i've never been involved in activism. now it's, like i said, changed my life forever. >> tell us about the scholarship fund you started. >> within my non-profit, youth advocates for change, we created a scholarship fund to help black students go to college. and so far we've raised $25,000 and our fund continues to grow every day. it's amazing. it's incredible. and i can't believe that we've gained this much support in only six months. >> i mean, she is so -- you're so impressive. what's your hope for 2021? >> my hope for 2021 is for my non-profit to grow. right now we have over 50 students who are working with us. we have four different chapters in different states. and in six months we've accomplished so many things. and i'm just so excited for what the future's going to bring, including the podcast where we talk about education and how we can diversify and make it more inclusive to all students. >> wow. >> yeah. it's so great to meet you. thanks for all you're doing. >> congratulations again. >> thank you guys. >> let's talk about another topic that young people really care about, the climate crisis. when it comes to the vur environment, one thing is clear. mother nature is pissed, like really pissed at all of us about the damage we're doing to our planet. >> joining us now a champion of feeding america, lesley ode m, jr. >> this year we had so many storms that we ran out of hurricane names and had to turn to the greek alphabet. not always a great sign when that happens. our communities are still cleaning up and rebuilding, many still living in hotels and temporary housing. here's why. our storms are changing. a recent report from japan studied the major hurricanes that made landfall in the u.s. from 1967 to 2018. what they discovered was that 50 years ago, storms would lose most of their power within hours of hitting land. but today because of the climate crisis, storms now remain powerful for nearly twice as long. look at the fires that happened this year. remember the sky? the darkness of high noon, the masks needed to breathe, not just protect. how about the extreme drought in the northeast. the mass extinction of wild life, the inequities climate change causes, such as lack of access to basics like clean water. all of it is daunting, and it'll get worse if we do nothing. but here's hope. when the world shut down for two months, mother nature took a deep breath and showed us that all was not lost, that there was a way to heal. >> this past spring, high above the earth, satellites began capturing the promise of what could be if we take better care of our planet. and nasa scientists took notice. >> as soon as we saw numerous economies go on lockdown and people really changed their behavior because of covid-19, we also started to see drops in air pollution levels. we could actually see that from satellites with a gas called nitrogen dioxide which is emitted from cars, power plants, any time you burn fossil fuels. as soon as the lockdowns took place, there were dramatic reductions in concentrations across a number of cities. >> the whole world seemed different. you could hear birds in new york city. the sky in los angeles looked clearer and more blue than it had in years. in northern india, clearer skies made the himalayas visible to people from more than 100 miles away. in venice, the absence of boats in the canals churning up sediment from the ground allowed the typically murkowsy waters t settle, revealing wild life. and reclaiming habitats where they once freely thrived. for many a glimpse of a cleaner more symbiotic world between mankind and nature was a wake up call, for others a call to action. to truly tackle our climate crisis and its effects head on. perhaps it offers lessons for the kind of world we can rebuild together, starting now. >> when it comes to climate change, there are certain things we can do in our own lives. we can reduce the amount of travel we do, the amount of driving we do, make sure our homes are as efficient as possible. we get together and change our activity, that can change the traje trajectory of the whole planet. >> and young activists like greta thunberg are paving the path. >> if you want to do something to help, go to cnnheroes.com. you can click on the donate button for water.org and help change the lives of people all over the world by bringing access to safe water and sanitation, which matters in the middle of a pandemic and helps break the cycle of poverty. now let's have a look at another one of this year's most inspiring moments. >> in florence, people sang the italian national anthem. chicago, they countered the sorrow with "living on a prayer." ♪ oh, living on a prayer >> and a broadway legend serenaded us with "the impossible dream" from his balcony. all over the world, we found a way to lift each other up and connect for the power of music. >> music is a healing force of the world. >> music is a reflection of nature. it's the heart beat. >> music calms the anger, the fear, the uncertainty. >> and music is a respite during the pandemic. >> healing power of music cannot be overemphasized. >> it's the sound of joy and happiness and celebration. >> these strangers who soon become friends. >> music is a very powerful force. keep listening to music, and kudos to the music makers of the world. coming up next, glenn close. and later orlando bloom. and a performance by cynthia erivo. "cnn heroes" is brought to by cisco, a bridge to possible. between ideas and inspiration, trauma and treatment. gained a couple of more pounds. that's good for the babies. between the moments that make us who we are, and keeping them safe, private and secure, there's webex. ♪ ♪ beautiful. subaru created the share the love event.n years ago, where our new owners could choose a national or hometown charity. and subaru and our retailers would proudly make a donation. but now, in times like these, companies are having a hard choice to make. but subaru is more than a car company. and as charities struggle, we cannot just stand by. which is why we plan to donate over twenty four million dollars, again this year. the subaru share the love event, going on now. old health insurance reminds you to schedule a screening, say, for colon cancer. humana does you one better and sends you an at-home test kit, when it's overdue. huh! one of those tests could save your life, or at least a little hassle. or both. yeah! you get it, you do it, you send it back. i get it, i do it, i send it back. you get it, you do it, you send it back. yeah, i got it. you got it! ♪ humana. a more human way to healthcare. it's moving day. and are doing the heavy lifting, jess is busy moving her xfinity internet and tv services. it only takes about a minute. wait, a minute? but what have you been doing for the last two hours? delegating? oh, good one. move your xfinity services without breaking a sweat. now that's simple, easy, awesome. xfinity makes moving easy. go online to transfer your services in about a minute. get started today. so i take garlique to help maintain healthy cholesterol safely and naturally. and it's odor free. i'm taking charge of my cholesterol with garlique. over the summer, the centers for disease control issued a study measuring the cost of the pandemic and ec no, ma'onomic r on our mental health. the numbers are staggering and it's clear people are suffering. >> here to introduce us to cnn heroes who are trying to help people confront this grief and loss and trauma is a champion for mental health. ten years ago, she cofounded bring change to mind with her sister who lives with bipolar disorder to increase awareness and the end stigma. she's an academy awarding winning actor, glenn close. >> the poet william matthews wrote this. grief unites us like the locked antlers of a moose who die on their knees in pairs. even though we're keeping our distance in order to keep one another safe, we're still profoundly connected, locked together because we are all living in a world filled with grief and loss, all kinds of it. too many families and friends are missing their loved ones taken by covid-19. and millions and millions feel the sorrow that comes from losing their job, their sense of purpose in the community. health care workers and first responders are carrying mountains of trauma. students all across this country long for their old lives, to play together, to learn together and to rejoice together. countless black men, women and children are filled with despair and anxiety, not knowing if they will be harmed because of the color of their skin, if loved ones will be returning home at the end of each day. these times are wreaking havoc on our collective mental health. our brains are magnificent complicated and fragile 3.5 pound organs of wonder. but they need care, especially in hard times. one of the greatest things we can do is talk about our pain. get rid of the stigma, seek help. maybe even adopt a surveillando. but the more we do, the more we see we aren't alone, but locked together doing our best to make our way toward that brighter day ahead. >> there's a pandemic of grief right now. as human beings, we grieve all types of loss. it's absolutely essential to give ourselves permission to grieve. >> two cnn heroes, annette mark greer and mary robinson have spent decades teaching families how to cope with grief. now their work offers lessons for all of us. >> our job is to really give an opportunity to people, to talk, to express their feelings. it ak eventuctually helps us so problems. >> it will be very bad. >> what have you learned from this loss? >> life is precious and time is limited. >> months into the pandemic, i see people struggling even harder now. mental health is a real concern. so much anxiety, fear, sadness as well as the isolation. people are grieving and no one should grieve alone. >> okay. you guys now. inhale and exhale. do that a couple of times. do it from the toenail all the way up to the last strand of hair on your head. >> we're still here. our lives matter. >> yes. >> recognizing the pain, whether from the pandemic or racial injustice is where the healing begins. >> an important part of helping people to heel is recognizing their traumatic experiences. police brutality, injustices, discrimination. it's like a domino effect. we do internalize and suffer as a result of these wounds. >> it can be violent. it can be constructive. but moving our pain towards our passion can be an opportunity for growth. so, when we're grieving and having all kinds of feelings, know that that's not something you're going to have forever. the things that we can do support ourselves -- >> to have a pet is so therapeutic right now. releasing of those endorphins relaxes our bodies. it calms our spirit. >> move your body. get physical. be out in nature. it's really good for our brain functions and for reducing stress. >> connecting with others is a crucial component of our own well-being. >> social isolation has had an especially devastating effect on the mental and emotional health of the elderly. >> zip do da. >> but there is a weapon against cognitive decline. music. scientifically proven to improve brain and motor function. ♪ please don't take my sunshine away ♪ >> music can connect people, sharpen minds and even restore memories, ultimately bringing us back to our joy. ♪ >> where's my kleenex? >> this is such important work. if you need help, please ask for it. call the hotline below, reach out to professionals and know that you are not alone. and we can all help by expanding access to mental health and ending the stigma by going to cnnheroes.com and click on the donate button for bring change to mind. >> those who are struggling in need organizations like these serve others more than ever. we're glad to partner with the anneberg program. they provide critical training programs for free and continue their partnership by offering a virtual training for all the top ten heroes from the past ten years, specifically designed to make sure our heroes have the tools to weather the storm. offered for free in more than 3,000 non-profits in california. >> that is fantastic. >> yeah. >> really. and it will do so much good. and now let's bring a little bit more hope to our lives. here's another of this year's most inspiring moments. >> when the call rang out for ppe to keep our frontline workers safe, americans responded with great generosity. the workers of brass k of america did something extraordinary. they moved in and quarantined in two of their manufacturing plants for nearly an entire month to get the job done. >> here's the team, the boys. >> i witnessed the covid and emergency rooms and a lot of ppe that was low. >> this group of people went out of their way and they didn't have to do this. >> these guys went the extra mile just to stay there for a whole month to make sure the hospitals and businesses had their gloves, their ppe wear. >> it shows how unselfish people are in times of need. >> they brought out what the country really is. >> i really respect you guys, what you do every day. i thank you very much. coming up, a young wonder and orlando bloom honors the artist who kept us entertained during lockdown. "cnn heroes: an all star tribute" is brought to you by rocket mortgage. need to know what it takes for a home loan, rocket can? ♪ i'll be home for christmas ♪ you can count on me ♪ i'll be home for christmas ♪ if only in my dreams ♪ ♪ ♪ you're all, you're all i need ♪ ♪ you're all, you're all i need ♪ ♪ as long as i got you then baby ♪ ♪ you know that you've got me, oh! yea...♪ ♪ >> welcome back. our final young wonder is a first. i don't think we've ever honored a young person who can do what he can. >> now, to tell us his story, please welcome a proud supporter of amazon watch which promotes indigenous led solutions to climate change in the amazon led basin. actor and musician fin wolf heart. >> if you're thinking you can't do anything to help out during this crisis, you're wrong. we've all got something we can do. simple stuff like thanking frontline workers and feed food. some of us know how to fly a plane. he saw hospitals weren't getting enough masks, gloves and other equipment, so he set out on the most extraordinary mission. >> ever since i was around 9 years old i've wanted to become a navy pilot. it's kind of been my childhood dream. so, being able to join a flight school and pursue my dream of flying has been really amazing. once everything started to really shut down, like school, lacrosse season, flight training was really one of the only things i had left. so, i talked with my dad and together we came up with the idea of operation sos. we donate face masks, face shields, eye goggles, shoe coverings, full gown coverings and ventilator supplies to rural hospitals. >> i'm tj's primary instructor. when he first came to me with the idea, i was taken aback. to see such a young person be so selfless is an awesome feeling. a lot of those rural areas have smaller airports, a bit more challenging because the runways aren't as long. they're not as wide, not typically what we would train in. but he's done really, really well with that. he has such a bright future. >> the unusuinitial goal was too each of the seven critical access hospitals in virginia. now i'm on flight number 18, so i've way surpassed that. i'm up to now around 63,300 total ppes delivered. >> today was a pretty exciting day. it's not often that we get supplies delivered via student pilot. >> thank you. >> compared to the big city hospitals where everyone wants to donate, the rural hospitals feel left out sometimes. >> appreciate all your efforts there. >> thank you. >> you're welcome. >> just seeing how happy it makes them someone cared about them and reached out to them really makes operation sos worth it. as long as the whole pandemic is going on, they're still putting themselves in danger and they are still in need of supplies. i need to keep going out and supplying them. >> so awesome. >> he's incredible. >> tj kim joins us now. congratulations, tj. >> thank you so much on this award. i'm really honored to be here. >> fabulous. >> so impressive what you've done. i know you expanded to another state, to west virginia. how did you pick that? >> well, i wanted to go out to west virginia especially because they're one of the hardest-hit states when it comes to covid cases across america. and they have a lot of rural communities that i wanted to reach out to serve. recently i went out to the hospital in phillip high hospital, they're a 12-bed hospital just crushed by covid. they told me my delivery would supply them for six weeks. really being able to go out to the small communities is what made me go out to west virginia. >> we understand you want to be a navy pilot, is that right. >> yes, ma'am, that would be correct. >> you want to go to the naval academy? >> yes, sir, that's been my dream ever since i was nine years old. i've wanted to be a navy pilot. so, just working toward that and recently being able to learn how to fly and pursue pilot's license has been great in getting me toward that. >> it's so amazing all the work you're doing. thank you so much for everything. >> thank you, sir, for having me. our next presenter is going to remind us how much art played a role in helping us get through the hardships of this year. >> please welcome unicef good will ambassador and the star of "retaliation" and "the outpost," orlando bloom. >> when the lockdown hit, we were all scared, uncertain about how things would unfold. but one thing we realized right away was that countless people would need help, help with the basics like food, shelter and health care. they would need support to keep family businesses open. artists were struggling too. theaters were locked, galleries shut, concerts and productions cancelled. they would all need assistance. so, artists in every field rallied to raise awareness and hundreds of millions of dollars to care for those struggling. that need continues and so does the need for a little respite from the relentless difficulties of this pandemic. so, artists organized to do that too. our favorite characters from films and tv shows held reunions and scripted readings to bring a little bit of joy to all of our lives. dj's held online dance parties and hip hop battles so we could let our hair down a little. authors and poets gave us their words and truth. musicians and dancers filled our neighborhood streets to help us pause. sidewalks and driveways came to life with colorful mess saages hope. art did what it's supposed to do. it united, comforted and brought us together in the name of a common humanity, in the name of love. >> art may have been deemed non-essential as the world locked down. but for so many it remained fundamental to life in all its many forms. early on dj d-nice realized he could use his art to lift spirits in quarantine. >> i was home alone. i wasn't with my kids. i was still trying to figure out a way to stay connected. i was also scared like most people in the world. and i sat at the counter and i started playing songs into my phone. and i would share stories. people started to feel connected, and they were pretending that they were in a club. >> d-nice's instagram lives were dubbed club quarantine, drawing clubs of thousands of people every night. the music played was part of the draw, everything from sister sledge to usher. ♪ >> i played a lot of old school songs that would kind of just take people back to a peaceful, peaceful place in life. >> hey! >> i was giving something to people that they didn't know they really needed. they needed to dance with their families in the living rooms and talk about how, you know, what i did saved them. i also want people to know that what they did for me saved me as well. >> quarantine forced tv and movie productions to shut down. as we all quickly learned, a lot can be done from home. actor josh gab brought together cast and crews from classic movies as part of his web series "reunited apart." >> hey you guys! >> and beloved casts for favorites like "30 rock," "parks and rec," and "father of the bride" as well as other big stars staged reunions. not only did these specials give us joy and a break from reality, they raised funds for important causes. and from his living room actor director john kra sin ski brought good news. >> class of 2020, what is up. >> celebrated the class of 2020. >> happy graduation! >> happy graduation! >> and even gave a "hamilton" superfan a superprize. >> showed millions that during the darkest of times, we could always find something to smile about even in our own front yards. ♪ happy birthday to you >> there's simply no organization like make a wish america. children who are battling diseases have an opportunity to look outside their illness and have joy in their life. many reach out to their favorite artists who time and time again provide much-needed joy to them and their families. to support them, go to cnnheroes.com and click on the donate page. coming up, we'll show you the moment you chose as this year's most inspiring. >> and that moment is extraordinary. it gives me goosebumps. we'll be right back. next, your choice for this year's most inspiring moment. and cynthia erivo salutes all of this year's heroes, the 14th annual "cnn heroes and all star tribute" is sponsored by subaru, proudly matching every dollar donated to subaru heroes featured organizations. over two million meals provided. over four hundred national parks protected. in fact, subaru and our retailers will have proudly donated over two hundred million dollars to national and hometown charities through the subaru share the love event. (vo) get 0% for 63 months and subaru will donate 250 dollars to charity. women with metastatic we breast cancer.rs. our time... ...for more time... ...has come. living longer is possible- and proven in postmenopausal women taking kisqali plus fulvestrant. in a clinical trial, kisqali plus fulvestrant helped women live longer with hr+, her2- metastatic breast cancer. and it significantly delayed disease progression. kisqali can cause lung problems or an abnormal heartbeat, which can lead to death. it can cause serious skin reactions, liver problems, and low white blood cell counts that may result in severe infections. tell your doctor right away if you have new or worsening symptoms, including breathing problems, cough, chest pain, a change in your heartbeat, dizziness, yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, tiredness, loss of appetite, abdomen pain, bleeding, bruising, fever, chills, or other symptoms of an infection, a severe or worsening rash, are or plan to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. avoid grapefruit during treatment. ask your doctor about living longer with kisqali. . . . i had hiv, it was difficult for . . . . . . me to accept. i decided . . . . . . hiv doesn't define me. my name's dimitri. and i'm on biktarvy. biktarvy is a complete, one-pill, once-a-day treatment . . . . . . used for hiv in certain adults. it's not a cure, but with one small pill . . . . . . biktarvy fights hiv to help you get to and stay undetectable. that's when the amount of virus is so low . . . . . . it cannot be measured by a lab test. serious side effects can occur, including kidney problems and kidney failure. rare, life-threatening side effects include a build-up of lactic acid and liver problems. do not take biktarvy if you take dofetilide or rifampin. tell your doctor about all the medicines and supplements you take, . . . . . . if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis. if you have hepatitis b, do not stop taking biktarvy without talking to your doctor. common side effects were diarrhea, nausea, and headache. if you're living with hiv . . . . . . keep loving who you are. and ask your doctor if biktarvy is right for you. welcome back to cnn heroes. in just a moment we'll hear a powerful performance from the amazing cynthia arivo. >> we've been showing the most inspiring moments and you've been voting and telling us why you chose each moment. now let's take a look at your favorite. sometimes a photograph can capture the mood and the attention of the world. in june, one image did just that. during protests on the streets in london, events turned violent. black lives matter was there to condemn statues and many were there to protect the statues. one man, a white former police officer, wandered into the crowd and he started to get beat up. one of the black lives matter protesters saw that he was in peril. patrick moved in, picked up the injured person, carried him through the crowd to safety. >> the biggest thing for me was making sure no harm came to him. i knew if harm came to him the narrative would be changed and the blame would fall on the young black lives matter protesters. we made sure we got him out safely. >> reporter: patrick, a father and grandfather, sees the ill an and understands the idea to do responsibility the right thing resides in all of us. >> we just want equality for all races, all people. right now we're the ones who seem to be the on pressed ones. bits time things changed the world over. >> patrick, you are the best of humanity. >> i'm just proud that he did help lifting someone up. not holding them down. >> i have three sons and i pray that they grow up to be like that man. >> just disregard all inferences and he regarded human life. >> a reminder of how powerful love is. >> this man showed that humanity prevails no matter what. >> here with the song to raise all our spirit. the foundation, two bring opportunity and healing to communities of color, especially black women and girls. >> she has a debut album coming out in 2021 and a new single set for spring and she was just nominated for another grammy award. that's right. her voice is simply divine. performing david bowie's classic and stirring heroes. here is cynthia arivo. ♪ i, i will be queen ♪ and you, you, you will be king ♪ ♪ though nothing will drive them away ♪ ♪ we can beat them just for one day ♪ ♪ we can be heroes just for one day ♪ ♪ and you, you, you can be mean ♪ ♪ and i, i, i'll drink all the time ♪ ♪ because we're lovers and that's a fact ♪ ♪ yes we're lovers, yeah, and that is it ♪ ♪ though nothing will keep us together, yeah ♪ ♪ we can steal time just for one day ♪ ♪ we can be heroes forever and ever ♪ ♪ and i, i will be queen ♪ and you, you will be king ♪ though nothing, nothing will drive it away ♪ ♪ we can be heroes just for one day ♪ ♪ we can be for just one day ♪ we can be heroes just for one day ♪ ♪ we can be heroes just for one day ♪ ♪ >> she's fabulous. well, thank you for spending this time with us tonight. we know that times are tough. if you can, support the organizations we talked about. go to cnn heroes.com. >> and next year, thanks to the he was of so many heroes in the medical and scientific community, we expect to be back underneath the belly of the whale. until then, stay safe and wear a mask. if you know someone doing extraordinary work, you can nominate them to be a cnn hero right now. we home some of these stories have inspired you to do your part because you too can be somebody's hero. thank you and god good night. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ it's one of the fastest growing groups in the country. >> hey, how are you doing? >> thanks for coming. >> you want bacon? >> sure. >> people from all walks of life, young and old, coming together to support each other.

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