Josh Johnson, Hasan Minhaj, The Resilient, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Stewart, Alex Warren took to the stage to honor our nation’s veterans; Craig Newmark pledge puts philanthropist’s donations to BWF at $100 million

Images HERE | Credit: Getty Images for the Bob Woodruff Foundation
Video Clips HERE | Getty Images for the Bob Woodruff Foundation

Stand Up for Heroes (SUFH), New York’s highly anticipated night of hope, healing and laughter, presented by the Bob Woodruff Foundation and the New York Comedy Festival (NYCF), celebrated its 20th annual show at David Geffen Hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Monday night. The event raised a record $5.9 million for our nation’s veterans, service members, military families and caregivers.

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(L to R): Bob Woodruff, Jon Stewart, Bruce Springsteen, Hasan Minhaj (Getty Images for the Bob Woodruff Foundation)

Josh Johnson, Hasan Minhaj, The Resilient, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Stewart, and Alex Warren treated the crowd to a night of comedy and musical performances. The evening is a part of the New York Comedy Festival, the largest and longest-running annual comedy festival in the United States, running through November 15.

Stewart and Woodruff joined craigslist founder Craig Newmark on stage as the philanthropist made a five-year, $28 million pledge to the foundation. The donation brings Newmark’s giving to the foundation to $100 million over the last decade.

In addition to the world-class entertainment, Stand Up for Heroes also featured an unforgettable tribute to the people behind 20 years of on-stage stories at the center of each show. This year’s show highlighted the courage of several Marines in attendance who responded to the deadly 2021 Abbey Gate bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan.

“What an extraordinary night of laughter, remembrance and giving,” said Anne Marie Dougherty, CEO of the Bob Woodruff Foundation. “Our performers lifted us up, while the Marines we honored helped bring into focus the sacrifice and bravery at the center of service. Alongside a record-breaking night of giving, Craig Newmark’s bold long-term commitment will help underwrite our foundation’s promise to the next generation of American heroes. Our 20th show did justice to two decades of having the backs of those who have had ours.”

Stand Up for Heroes is brought to you by Bread Financial®, a tech-forward financial services company that provides simple, flexible payment, lending and saving solutions, and presented by the Bob Woodruff Foundation and the New York Comedy Festival. In addition to Bread Financial, Stand Up for Heroes is made possible by support from Craig Newmark Philanthropies, along with Navy Federal Credit Union, Car Donation Foundation, Ann B & James Ritchey Foundation, the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation (GIVE), HSBC, Citi, Barclays, BlackRock Foundation, BNP Paribas, Cantor Fitzgerald DIRECTV, Google, Phillip Morris International, Salis Family, EMD Serono, the Barbara Bradley Baekgaard Family Foundation, The Walt Disney Company, Ernst & Young LLP, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Moody’s, the National Hockey League, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Man US Charitable Foundation, Assured Guaranty, CME Group, Mastercard, TD Securities, Tudor Investment Corporation, Atlas SP, Ariana Speaks, Boies Schiller Flexner, DTCC, Fiserv Macquarie, Mischler Amerivet, Napier Park, Northmarq, Skadden, and Sonepar.

Stand Up for Heroes was born in 2007 when New York Comedy Festival founders Caroline Hirsch and Andrew Fox approached Bob and Lee Woodruff with the idea for a special event honoring veterans and their families. Since then, the event has raised $123 million in support of the Bob Woodruff Foundation while bringing its mission to millions of Americans through the star power of some of the biggest names in entertainment. Bruce Springsteen, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Sheryl Crow, Jim Gaffigan, Shane Gillis, Whoopi Goldberg, Norah Jones, The Lumineers, John Mayer, John Mellencamp, Seth Meyers, Tracy Morgan, John Mulaney, Trevor Noah, Conan O’Brien, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jerry Seinfeld, and Robin Williams have taken to the Stand Up for Heroes stage over the years at The Town Hall, Beacon Theatre, The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Alice Tully Hall, and Lincoln Center.

To support the Bob Woodruff Foundation and learn more about their mission, please visit bobwoodrufffoundation.org.

ABOUT THE BOB WOODRUFF FOUNDATION

The Bob Woodruff Foundation was founded by ABC News reporter Bob Woodruff and his family after Bob was wounded by a roadside bomb while covering the war in Iraq. The Foundation funds proven organizations delivering services to veterans, service members and their families in all 50 states. The Bob Woodruff Foundation’s Got Your 6 Network of 515 boots-on-the-ground partner organizations provides physical and mental health care, housing and legal assistance, disaster relief, and job placement services to the military community. The Foundation has funded $228 million in proven veteran programs and services since it opened its doors in 2006. More than two million Americans in the military community receive care or support from a Got Your 6 Network partner each year, building on the Foundation’s commitment to always have the backs of those who have served.

ABOUT THE NEW YORK COMEDY FESTIVAL

Launched in 2004, The New York Comedy Festival (NYCF) was created by Caroline Hirsch and Carolines. The NYCF has brought together the country’s top comedians including Judd Apatow, Bill Burr, Margaret Cho, Larry David, Kevin Hart, Jo Koy, Nick Kroll, Bill Maher, Trevor Noah, Conan O’Brien, Amy Schumer, Sarah Silverman, Wanda Sykes, Tracy Morgan, and many others to venues throughout the five boroughs of New York City. In 2007, NYCF launched the “Stand Up for Heroes” event to benefit The Bob Woodruff Foundation, which has featured performances by Stephen Colbert, Jim Gaffigan, Ricky Gervais, John Mayer, Seth Meyers, John Mulaney, John Oliver, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jeff Ross, Ray Romano, Jerry Seinfeld, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Stewart, and many others. To date, Stand Up for Heroes events have raised over $123 million. For more information, visit https://nycomedyfestival.com and follow on Instagram, X and Facebook using the hashtag #MakeNYLaugh.

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