Media Center
Media Contact
If you’re a journalist interested in learning more about CORE, please email [email protected]. Our team can help set up interviews, identify storytelling opportunities, provide photos and videos, and more.
About CORE
Founded after the 2010 Haiti earthquake by Sean Penn and Ann Lee, CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) is a global humanitarian organization that empowers underserved communities in and beyond crisis. CORE’s community-powered work is informed and fueled by local hands.
When crisis strikes, we listen, we learn, and we act to quickly fill gaps, mobilize resources, and develop long-term recovery solutions. With a focus on equity, CORE provides critical relief to marginalized and vulnerable people, from the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic and conflicts in Ukraine and Sudan to hurricane-effected communities in North Carolina and beyond.
Learn more about CORE’s work at www.coreresponse.org/about-us, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X,
YouTube, and LinkedIn.
CORE Experts
Our experts can provide insight and commentary on emergency responses, public health, and humanitarian crises both in the U.S. and around the globe.
Please visit our leadership page for a comprehensive list of CORE experts.
FAQ
When was CORE founded?
CORE’s journey began in 2010 out of instinct and an ethical imperative to save lives in the wake of one of the most devasting disasters in human history.
Within hours of the Haiti earthquake, Sean Penn mobilized a powerful network to support those impacted.
What began as J/P HRO nearly 15 years ago, CORE has evolved into a global humanitarian organization that has worked on five continents, responding to natural disasters, conflict, food insecurity, disease outbreaks, climate change, and public health emergencies.
What regions does CORE work in?
CORE’s headquarters are located in Los Angeles, California, but we also have domestic operations in Northern California, North Carolina, and Georgia. International CORE has operations in Haiti, Ukraine, and Sudan.
What are CORE’s Key Pillars?
Community building is our north star and is at the heart of everything we do. Our programs focus on Emergency Response & Preparedness, Addressing Climate Change, and Health Access.
Is CORE the same as J/P HRO?
CORE was founded as J/P HRO in 2010 in response to the devastating 7.1 earthquake in Haiti. In 2019, the organization rebranded into Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE) to better communicate our growing scope of humanitarian work.
News Releases
CORE’S 15TH ANNIVERSARY BENEFIT CONCERT
December 10, 2025
The emergency response nonprofit co-founded by Sean Penn and Ann Lee celebrated 15 years of humanitarian impact with a livestream concert that raised vital funds to power CORE’s lifesaving relief efforts, from Los Angeles and Jamaica to Ukraine and beyond.
Anthem Blue Cross Provides $1.5 Million to Advance Continued Long-Term Wildfire Recovery in Los Angeles County
December 2, 2025
Anthem’s fuels CORE’s five-year recovery initiative, including the October 2025 opening of The Hub, a 4,000 square-foot community space offering low-to-no-cost services, such as disaster case management, and supports CORE’s Community Center.
CORE receives grant from American Red Cross for Hurricane Helene
October 15, 2025
CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) is pleased to announce a new grant from the American Red Cross to help people in Lowndes County, Georgia, affected by Hurricane Helene.
If you’d like to see more, please visit our news release archive.
News Coverage
In Georgia, another hurricane disaster unfolds. And it’s hardly the first time.
PBS NewsHour
CORE’s Nina Knierim shares her story of loss and resilience after the Los Angeles fires.
CORE is honored with the Philanthropic Organization of the Year Award at the Social Impact Summit
Citizen Times
CORE staff in North Carolina are hard at work helping a mobile home community recover from Hurricane Helene.
CORE Haiti staff speaks to our mangrove conservation efforts in the south.
SXSW
Breaking the Cycle: Building Climate-Resilient Communities
Media Request
Please complete the form below with as much detail as possible, including the subject of your story and who from CORE you’d like to speak with. We’ll then address your request.