Gary Vaynerchuk, Susan & Ervin Braun, Mimi Chan to be Honored at 2025 Pencils of Promise Gala

NEW YORK, Sept. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- International education organization Pencils of Promise today announced the honorees who will be recognized at the PoP Gala 2025: Homecoming, which will take place on Thursday, September 25 at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City.

The evening will celebrate the power of connection and impact - a true Homecoming to the heart of the mission - and will benefit the organization's efforts to build schools and increase access to quality education for children in the developing world. The honorees will be recognized for their philanthropy, activism and groundbreaking work to further the collective promise of global education.

2025 PoP Gala Honorees:

• Gary Vaynerchuk, PoP Lifetime Achievement Award
  This inaugural recognition celebrates Gary's passion and unwavering commitment to global education and his bold generosity to provide quality education to children around the world, specifically in Ghana, Guatemala and Laos.

• Susan & Ervin Braun, PoP Impact Award 
  As parents, original Board Members and early champions of our Founder's vision, this award honors their love for education, commitment to creating opportunity for every child and instrumental role in bringing PoP to life.

• Mimi Chan, PoP Family Award 
  As Founding COO, Mimi's early leadership and tireless dedication was one of the first sparks that lit the fire behind PoP and helped launch a movement that created lasting educational change.

Past Pencils of Promise Gala honorees and performers include Justin Bieber, Gigi Hadid, Scooter Braun, Ja Rule, Usher, John Legend, Lil Jon, Lewis Howes, Wiz Khalifa, Trevor Noah, Malala Yousafzai, Tori Kelly, Corey Booker and more.

The Fanatics Foundation is the Promise Sponsor of the event. Duggal Visual Solutions, Istrico Productions and Ten to One Rum are in-kind Sponsors.

For a full list of Host Committee Members and for more information, visit pencilsofpromise.org/gala.

About Pencils of Promise
Pencils of Promise is a for-purpose organization founded in 2008 with the goal of increasing access to quality education for children in the developing world. To date, PoP has built over 600 schools and provided access to education to more than 130,000 students throughout Ghana, Guatemala and Laos, establishing itself as a leader amongst the innovative global nonprofits working toward sustainable social change.

SOURCE Pencils of Promise