UPDATE: On December 9. DPA! announced that Knight was honored as 2024 CNN Hero of the Year at the 18th Annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute event. 

“This means everything. I represent so much here. I represent the recovery community,” Knight said of the event. “The dog rescue community…This is going to be able to take us to the next level.”

Preston Hollow-based nonprofit Dallas Pets Alive! announced today that Dogs Matter founder Stephen Knight is one of the top 5 finalists for the CNN Hero of 2024.

As a Top 5 CNN Hero, Knight was awarded $10,000 and received a grant from The Elevate Prize Foundation, an invitation to the Make Good Famous Summit in Miami, a dedicated GoFundMe for CNN audience members to make online donations to the nonprofit and a story highlighting his work. The individual out of these five will be chosen to be CNN Hero of the Year, determined by reader vote.

Nearly 15 years ago, Knight was in active meth addiction, having lost his family, his job, his home and almost his life, CNN said. After going to rehab and moving into a sober living apartment, a friend came to his door, crying, after having relapsed and would have to give up her dog while she went to treatment. Instead, Knight took in the dog, learning that many people struggle to find temporary homes for their pets while they attend treatment.

Knight and friends created the Dogs Matter program, which now functions as part of Dallas Pets Alive!

Voters have to enter an email to enter and can submit up to 10 votes daily until December 3, with additional votes provided to those who share the link to vote to their Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter) account.

Let’s take a look at who Knight is up against:

  • Ron Davis Alvarez‘ journey began when he was a young child in Caracas, Venezuela. At 10, he joined a globally-acclaimed program that provided free classical music training to children from under-resourced communities. He became an avid musician, according to CNN, teaching by 14 and conducting by 16. He began working for that same program as an adult, leading him to Sweden in 2015 where he worked created a music group for refugees. The group grew from 13 students in the first session to more than 300 members.
  • Payton McGriff started her nonprofit originally as a class assignment while a marketing major at the University of Idaho. After reading about income inequality disproportionally affecting female students in developing countries, McGriff accompanied one of her professors during spring break to his home country of Togo. After seeing firsthand the significance — and cost — of school uniforms, McGriff founded a nonprofit hiring local seamstresses to provide uniforms and school fees for 65 girls. Today, 1,500 uniforms are tailored annually to be adjustable, growing with the girls to reduce the need for additional uniforms as they grow.
  • Rachel Rutter is an immigration lawyer who works closely with unaccompanied migrant children. After seeing the unmet needs of the population aside from legal help, Rutter started a nonprofit that provides free legal representation, essential and social services and newcomer support programs. According to CNN, the organization has assisted more than 1,100 individuals and represented more than 90 young people in immigration cases.
  • Yamilee Toussaint drew inspiration for her nonprofit while studying mechanical engineering at MIT, where she was also head of the dance team. She started her nonprofit in 2012, which combines dance with STEM education to make the subjects more engaging and accessible, according to CNN. In small groups, the girls choreograph dance routines that include STEM elements, like LED light strips that they code to light up with the music.

The winner will be announced on December 8 and receive an additional $100,000 toward their work. You can access the GoFundMe campaign here, which had raised almost $6,000 at the time of publication.