Viewers Name Quilen Blackwell as 2025 CNN Hero of the Year
GALLATIN, Tennessee, December 6, 2025— SERVPRO, a leader in cleanup and restoration, proudly sponsored CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute, celebrating five extraordinary individuals whose compassion, courage and commitment are transforming lives across the country. Viewers selected Quilen Blackwell as the 2025 CNN Hero of the Year through online voting.
Each of the Top 5 CNN Heroes received $10,000 to further their work, with Blackwell earning an additional $100,000 as Hero of the Year to expand his impact.
“At SERVPRO, we believe strong communities are built by people who step up when they see a need,” said Rob Rajkowski, chief marketing officer at Servpro Industries, LLC. “We are proud to help shine a light on these remarkable individuals who are restoring hope, opportunity and dignity in their communities every day.”
Meet the 2025 CNN Heroes
Quilen Blackwell — CNN Hero of the Year
Chicago, Illinois
Blackwell’s nonprofit, Southside Blooms, transforms vacant lots on Chicago’s South Side into eco-friendly flower farms that provide meaningful employment for at-risk youth. What began as a vision to create opportunity has grown into six urban flower farms employing young people ages 16–25, with plans for continued expansion.
Heidi Carman — Easing Stress for First Responders
San Rafeal, California
Carman and her therapy dog, Kerith, founded First Responder Therapy Dogs after witnessing the emotional toll of wildfires on firefighters. Since 2021, the organization has certified more than 500 therapy dog teams and supported over 150,000 first responders across 46 states.
Hillary Cohen — Rescuing Gourmet Meals to Fight Hunger
Los Angeles, California
Cohen co-founded Every Day Action to rescue untouched meals from film and TV sets and deliver them to people in need. Since 2020, the organization has saved more than 270,000 meals, reducing food waste while helping alleviate hunger across Los Angeles.
Debra Des Vignes — Transforming Lives Behind Bars
Indianapolis, Indiana
A former crime reporter, Des Vignes founded the Indiana Prison Writers Workshop, a creative writing program that gives incarcerated individuals a voice and a path toward healing. Her program now operates in multiple correctional facilities and has impacted hundreds of participants.
Tim Woodward — Offering a Lifeline to Abused Animals
Gallatin, Tennessee
Woodward co-founded Animal Rescue Corps to respond to large-scale animal cruelty cases. Since 2011, the organization has helped rescue more than 10,000 animals from neglect and abuse, giving them a second chance at life.
About CNN Heroes
For almost two decades, CNN Heroes has championed everyday people changing the world, by sharing their extraordinary stories across CNN’s global platforms. Now in its 19th year, this year-round initiative culminates in the Peabody and Emmy® Award-winning CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute each December, honoring everyday people doing extraordinary work to improve their communities. The annual broadcast celebrates compassion in action and inspires viewers to get involved and support changemakers around the world.
About SERVPRO®
For nearly 60 years, SERVPRO has been a trusted leader in fire and water cleanup and restoration services, construction, mold mitigation, biohazard and pathogen remediation. SERVPRO’s professional services network of more than 2,350 individually owned and operated franchises spans the United States and Canada, responding to property damage emergencies large and small – from million-square-foot commercial facilities to individual homes. When disaster strikes, homeowners, business owners and major insurance companies alike rely on SERVPRO to help make it “Like it never even happened.”
