HELP USA Honors Five Leaders Driving Progress in Housing and Homelessness Prevention at HELP Heroes Night 2026

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 4, 2026--

On Wednesday, June 3, HELP USA brought together leaders from across the housing, healthcare, philanthropy, business, government, and nonprofit sectors for HELP Heroes Night 2026, recognizing five individuals whose work has helped expand housing access, prevent homelessness, and strengthen communities.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260604963845/en/

Held at Tribeca 360 in Lower Manhattan, the event brought together nearly 300 guests in support of HELP USA's work serving more than 35,000 individuals and families each year through housing, shelter, homelessness prevention, and supportive services programs.

The evening recognized five leaders whose work has strengthened communities and expanded access to housing, healthcare, and critical support services:

Awards were presented by:

"Tonight’s honorees remind us that real progress is possible. Every day, families move from shelter to stable housing, households avoid homelessness through prevention services, and communities come together to expand access to the housing and support people need to thrive," said Dan Lehman, President and CEO of HELP USA.

Throughout the evening, speakers highlighted the partnerships, investments, and innovations that make housing stability possible, from affordable and supportive housing development to healthcare access, homelessness prevention, and on-site services that help individuals and families maintain long-term stability.

"Today, I’m proud to report that there are nearly 1,000 households participating in Home 4 Good, and more than $4 million in rental arrears have been recouped through the program. None of that would have been possible without HELP USA," said Baaba Halm.

Debbie Burkart reflected on HELP USA's leadership in developing housing for veterans and the broader impact that work has had nationwide, saying, "HELP USA’s leadership significantly contributed to an awe-inspiring 55% reduction from 2009 to 2025 in veteran homelessness compared to a 21% rise in general homelessness."

Reflecting on Sun Life’s investment in HELP Women’s Center, David Healy said, "Working with HELP USA has shown us that addressing homelessness needs support from both individuals and the business community.”

Khreme Tony Laud spoke about the impact of helping families secure permanent housing: "When they leave our shelter with keys in hand for permanent housing, they leave with their dignity and a sense of purpose."

Robert M. Hayes praised HELP USA's long-standing work addressing homelessness, saying, "The leadership over these decades has been amazing, and it's needed now more than ever."

Proceeds from HELP Heroes Night support HELP USA's housing, homelessness prevention, shelter, supportive housing, employment, and supportive services programs.

About HELP USA

For 40 years, HELP USA has worked to ensure that everyone has a place to call home. Serving nearly 600,000 individuals and families since its founding in 1986, the organization has provided shelter for people in crisis, built affordable housing, and strengthened communities through prevention and supportive services. Today, HELP USA addresses the root causes of homelessness at more than 70 sites across New York City and the country.

HELP Heroes Night 2026 brought together leaders from across sectors to honor the people and partnerships helping create pathways to housing and stability.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Television and movie actors on Thursday voted overwhelmingly to ratify a four-year contract with studios and streaming services, a month after their union leaders negotiated a deal they say provides protections against synthetic actors created by artificial intelligence.

The ratification was widely expected and a walkout never seemed to be in the cards during drama-free negotiations, but the vote assures there will be no repeat of the 2023 actor and writer strikes that seriously shook the entertainment industry.

More than 90% of votes from members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists approved of the agreement, with about 19% of eligible voters casting ballots.

Like the Writers Guild of America, whose members approved their own contract on April 24, the actors’ new deal is for four years instead of the usual three, providing an extra layer of labor stability in the industry.

Actor Sean Astin, president of SAG-AFTRA, said in a statement that the contract “delivers meaningful gains in compensation, strengthens protections around artificial intelligence and digital identity, reinforces the long-term security of members’ benefit plans and recognizes the realities of how performers work today.”

The contract says AI performers must bring “significant additional value” over a live actor or a digital capture of them if producers are to use them. Union leaders say this and other provisions will keep use of AI actors minimal.

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which negotiates for a coalition of Hollywood’s major studios, streamers and production companies, congratulated the union on the ratification.

“SAG-AFTRA’s leadership brought a genuine commitment to partnership, and together with the WGA agreement, these deals demonstrate what is possible when the industry works toward practical solutions,” the alliance said in a statement.

AMPTP negotiators have been in contract talks with the Directors Guild of America since May 11. The negotiations are the first under new DGA president Christopher Nolan. That contract is set to expire June 30.

FILE - The SAG-AFTRA building is pictured following a press conference announcing a strike by The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists on July, 13, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)