From the forests of Malaysia to the streets of Harlem, they are all dedicated to improving the world around them.
And for an 11th straight year, CNN Heroes will bring the stars together to honor 10 individuals from this prestigious group of everyday heroes and their extraordinary deeds.
To kick things off, CNN’s Anderson Cooper will reveal this year’s top 10 CNN Heroes Thursday during the 8 a.m. ET hour of “New Day.”
Each top 10 hero will receive a $10,000 cash prize and be recognized for their work during “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute,” a global broadcast event airing live on Sunday, December 17, at 8 p.m. ET. This year, Cooper returns to host from the iconic American Museum of Natural History in New York.
These CNN Heroes were nominated by the public, and starting Thursday, voters can select the “CNN Hero of the Year” by voting for the top 10 CNN Hero who most inspires them. Supporters can vote at CNNHeroes.com by logging in via email or Facebook, or on Facebook Messenger by messaging VOTE to the CNN Heroes Facebook page. Viewers can vote up to 10 times per day, per method through midnight PT on Tuesday, December 12.
The CNN Hero with the most votes will be named “CNN Hero of the Year” during the All-Star Tribute and receive an additional $100,000 for his or her cause.
Jeison Aristizábal, the 2016 CNN Hero of the Year, provides educational and medical support for youth living with disabilities in Colombia.
“Today I realize God chose me to help children with disabilities and their families and build a chain of dreams,” he said after being named CNN Hero of the Year.
Aristizábal insisted anyone can make an impact.
“Sometimes when we see a big problem, we feel like we can’t do something,” he said. “But starting with the little things, helping fix the little things, we can transform many lives.”
To learn more about each 2017 CNN Hero, visit CNNHeroes.com.
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