CORE Founders Sean Penn and Ann Lee, John Legend to Be Honored at 2025 Social Impact Summit, Hosted by THR and Social Impact Fund

Sean Penn and Ann Lee, co-founders of CORE, and John Legend will be honored at the second annual Social Impact Summit in partnership with the Social Impact Fund, set for on July 24.

The event, co-hosted by the Social Impact Fund and The Hollywood Reporter, aims to inspire accessible and impactful philanthropy by breaking down barriers to meaningful change.

This half-day summit will bring together more than 500 culture makers, production companies, talent agencies and notable figures from the entertainment and creative industries and beyond. The program will explore the dynamic evolution of philanthropy, emerging trends with charitable giving and navigating challenges to make impact possible.

Penn and Lee will be honored for their work with CORE, or Community Organized Relief Effort, as Philanthropic Organization of the Year. Lee serves as CEO of the global humanitarian response organization, which is dedicated to empowering underserved communities in and beyond crisis. The organization’s programs focus on emergency response and preparedness, addressing climate change and health access. 

CORE has responded to natural disasters, conflict, food insecurity, disease outbreaks, climate change and public health emergencies on five continents. The organization has also focused on ongoing humanitarian responses in Ukraine and Sudan amid devastating conflicts, as well as disaster relief and preparedness in the Caribbean and coastal U.S. It also holds an annual fundraising gala at Miami Art Basel, among other events. 

Additionally, Legend will be honored as Philanthropist of the Year. The artist-activist has spent more than a decade using his platform, resources and voice to advance equity, and opportunity. In 2014, he launched freeamerica, a national initiative working to end mass incarceration and strengthen communities through investment, advocacy and culture change. Freeamerica’s two signature programs reflect Legend’s commitment to lasting change: Unlocked Futures, which supports formerly incarcerated leaders and challenges the systems that drive incarceration, and HUMANLEVEL, which works with local governments to address inequities in housing, education, health, and safety, investing in on-the-ground fellows to help implement lasting solutions.

Through this work, Legend has helped expand voting rights for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people in 19 states, and mobilize voters through national PSAs, local events and public advocacy; advance legal reform by supporting successful efforts to end non-unanimous juries in Louisiana, pass bail reform laws in New York, Texas and Illinois and win key ballot initiatives across California, Florida and Louisiana elect progressive prosecutors in more than two dozen jurisdictions, now representing more than 50 million Americans; and invest in education equity, beginning with his 2007 launch of the Show Me Campaign to expand access to quality public schools and confront the school-to-prison pipeline.

“The Hollywood Reporter is humbled and honored to recognize Sean Penn, Ann Lee and the incredible work of CORE as our Philanthropic Organization of the Year. Their unwavering commitment to crisis response — from supporting communities impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires to mobilizing aid in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton — exemplifies the kind of bold, compassionate leadership we are proud to celebrate,” said Maer Roshan and Shirley Halperin, co-editors-in-chief of The Hollywood Reporter. 

“The Hollywood Reporter is equally thrilled to recognize John Legend as our Philanthropist of the Year during this milestone moment in his remarkable career,” continued Roshan and Halperin. “From day one, John has seamlessly woven philanthropy and social impact into his artistic journey, using his platform to uplift communities and drive meaningful change.”

Aiming to “inspire efficient and accessible philanthropy,” the Social Impact Fund has served as a platform for the philanthropic efforts of such Hollywood luminaries as Legend, Will.I.Am, Kerry Washington, Shawn Mendes, Alex Cooper, Lilly Singh, Bradley Cooper, Ryan Reynolds, Madonna, Jonathan Bailey, Hailey Bieber, Chris Powell, The Kid Laroi and Lily Collins.

“The Social Impact Fund, alongside The Hollywood Reporter, is excited to present the second Social Impact Summit, where we’ll confront the evolving challenges facing today’s philanthropic landscape head-on,” said Craig Cichy, executive director of the the Social Impact Fund. “Through real case studies, we’ll explore what’s working now — versus what worked just a year ago — and how our industry must adapt with urgency and innovation.”  

Additional program details and other talent will be announced in the coming weeks.

The event will be sponsored by Gilead, a biopharmaceutical company that has pursued and achieved breakthroughs in medicine for more than three decades with the goal of creating a healthier world for all people. As a returning sponsor of the Social Impact Summit, the company continues its commitment to advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19, cancer and inflammation.

Other supporting sponsors include Public Interest Registry, with more forthcoming.