The Elevate Prize Foundation will be matching donations to all of the 2025 Top 5 CNN Heroes up to $50,000 per hero. The names of non-anonymous donors and their donation amounts may be published on air during CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute.

After spending a decade as a crime reporter, Debra Des Vignes wanted to volunteer at a prison to better understand the people she reported on. The experience spurred her to start the Indiana Prison Writers Workshop, a 12-week creative writing program that provides a safe space for incarcerated people to share their work and find healing and community. Since 2018, the program has expanded to eight prisons, serving more than 250 incarcerated individuals, and created a 38% reduction in prison conduct violations.