Stand Up For Heroes Will Return To Lincoln Center November 9 To Celebrate Two Decades Of Honoring Our Nation’s Veterans

NEW YORK, NY (August 25, 2026) – Stand Up for Heroes, New York City’s highly anticipated night of hope, healing and laughter, presented by the Bob Woodruff Foundation and the New York Comedy Festival, will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a return to David Geffen Hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on Monday, November 9. The milestone show will feature special musical performances by Bruce Springsteen, The Resilient, and Alex Warren, and headline comedy sets from Josh Johnson, Hasan Minhaj, and Jon Stewart. The event is featured as part of the New York Comedy Festival, the largest and longest-running annual comedy festival in the United States, running November 6-15. The star-studded evening will also feature an unforgettable tribute to the people behind 20 years of on-stage stories at the center of each show. Stand Up for Heroes has raised $117 million for veterans, military families and caregivers since its inaugural show in 2007.

Stand Up for Heroes is brought to you by Bread Financial®, a tech-forward financial services company that provides simple, flexible payment, lending and saving solutions, and presented by the Bob Woodruff Foundation and the New York Comedy Festival. In addition to Bread Financial, Stand Up for Heroes is made possible by support from Craig Newmark Philanthropies, along with Navy Federal Credit Union, Car Donation Foundation, the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, HSBC, Citi, Barclays, BNP Paribas, DIRECTV, EMD Serono, the Barbara Bradley Baekgaard Family Foundation, the Ann G. and James B. Ritchey Foundation, The Walt Disney Company, Ernst & Young LLP, Moody’s, the National Hockey League, Man US Charitable Foundation, Assured Guaranty, CME Group, Mastercard, TD Securities, AmeriVet Securities, DTCC, Napier Park, Northmarq, Skadden, Sonepar, and Boies Schiller Flexner.

“Twenty years ago we put together Stand Up for Heroes with a simple idea: bring people together with laughter and music in honor of those who have sacrificed so much for our country,” said Bob Woodruff, ABC News Correspondent and Co-Founder of the Bob Woodruff Foundation. “When we started this way back in 2007 we thought it would just be a one-time concert. But it’s become one of the most meaningful nights of the year. Think about that! Right there in the theater veterans and service members share the spotlight with unforgettable tributes by world-class performers. Those who come to the show will ensure that men and women serving today will not be left behind tomorrow. I look forward to taking the stage again as we celebrate how far we’ve come and as we renew our promise to always have the backs of the next generation of American heroes.”

New York Comedy Festival founders, Caroline Hirsch and Andrew Fox, were instrumental in creating Stand Up for Heroes, approaching the Woodruffs with the idea for an event supporting the Foundation’s mission. The event has helped to raise awareness of the Bob Woodruff Foundation’s mission with millions of Americans and fans of some of the world’s biggest stars. Stephen Colbert, Sheryl Crow, Jim Gaffigan, Shane Gillis, Whoopi Goldberg, Norah Jones, The Lumineers, John Mayer, John Mellencamp, Seth Meyers, Tracy Morgan, John Mulaney, Trevor Noah, Conan O’Brien, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jerry Seinfeld, and Robin Williams have taken to the Stand Up for Heroes stage at The Town Hall, Beacon Theatre, The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Alice Tully Hall, and Lincoln Center.

“For 20 years, we have brought together the extraordinary worlds of comedy, music and the military community for one unforgettable night to honor those who have sacrificed so much,” said Caroline Hirsch, founder and owner of the New York Comedy Festival. “Stand Up for Heroes began with an idea we developed with Bob and Lee Woodruff, and what started as a single night has grown into a powerful and enduring tradition. We are incredibly proud of the event we created and everything we have built together over the past two decades, and as we celebrate this milestone, we look forward to continuing to honor our heroes and share their stories for years to come.” 

“A magical night in 2007 has turned into a can’t-miss event on the calendars of thousands of music and comedy fans committed to having the backs of the men and women who have ours,” said Anne Marie Dougherty, CEO of the Bob Woodruff Foundation. “The power of Bob and Lee’s story has inspired two decades of philanthropy by people who understand the cost of service and the responsibility we have to those keeping us safe around the world. No matter what is going on in the world, we remain a reliable backbone of support for our veterans and the military families and caregivers who make service possible. It’s our job now to chart that same steady course for the next generation of American heroes. Nights like this renew my hope in our country’s future and our ability to live up to the promise Bob made walking out of Bethesda Naval Hospital 20 years ago.”

“Bread Financial’s continued partnership with Stand Up for Heroes and the Bob Woodruff Foundation reflects our belief in building stronger communities through meaningful, sustained action,” said Ralph Andretta, president and chief executive officer of Bread Financial and a Bob Woodruff Foundation board member. “As this event marks its 20th anniversary, we recognize the veterans, service members and families whose service and sacrifice inspire its mission, while helping advance the resources, connection and care it helps bring to those who have served our country.”