WhyHunger to Honor Kevin Bacon and Stacy Huston at Annual Chapin Awards
New York (October 25, 2022)- WhyHunger — a leader in the movement to end hunger and advance the human right to nutritious food in the U.S. and around the world— is excited to announce they will present Kevin Bacon, Stacy Huston & SixDegrees.org, Warren Haynes, and Bob Wolk with the Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award on November 1 at City Winery in New York at the annual Chapin Awards Gala.
The cadre of honorees will be feted by presenters including actress, director and producer Kyra Sedgwick; CEO & Founder of Entertain Impact Paul Katz; and WhyHunger Board Chair and CEO at Gold n Fish Marketing Caren Berlin.
“Each of our honorees has demonstrated their strong support for WhyHunger, matched with an even stronger conviction to use their influence to make the world a better place,” said Noreen Springstead, executive director, WhyHunger. “Warren, Kevin, Stacy and Bob have all been incredibly generous with their time and resources, using their voices and influence to drive real change in the food justice movement, while inspiring so many others to join them. WhyHunger is proud to call them friends and partners in the movement to end hunger and poverty, and we’re inspired by the dedication and impact that each honoree has made.”
In 1975, GRAMMY-Award winning musician and activist Harry Chapin co-founded WhyHunger to protect the basic human right to nutritious food for all. He dedicated his life to ensuring equitable food access and used his music and activism to inspire others to tackle the root causes of hunger and poverty. WhyHunger presents The Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award to shine a spotlight on artists and community leaders who have proven their commitment to building social justice and ending hunger worldwide.
Each of these honorees embodies that legacy:
· Kevin Bacon, Stacy Huston & SixDegrees.org: WhyHunger was honored to be chosen by SixDegrees.org as one of the beneficiaries and partner in creating PlayOn a 2020 TV special that uplifted the power of music, people, and philanthropy to fuel social change amid one of the most challenging moments in memorable history. Powered by SixDegrees.org, PlayOn raised critical awareness about hunger and injustice at the height of the pandemic and provided over $3.2 million to support WhyHunger’s mission. SixDegrees.org has transformed the nation and world in meaningful ways by using the power of connection to support grassroots nonprofits and their social missions.
· Warren Haynes: Grammy-award winning singer, songwriter, guitarist and front man of Gov’t Mule, Warren Haynes engaged with WhyHunger in a variety of ways over the years, making generous contributions to the organization’s work, donating several auction items and experiences that raised critical funds to support its mission. From his annual Christmas Jam and the important work of the W&S Foundation to his extraordinary support for Habitat for Humanity and career-spanning humanitarian efforts, Warren has led the music industry as an activist and visionary in creating a brighter future for all.
· Bob Wolk: Bob first became engaged with WhyHunger after attending Harry Chapin concerts and hearing Harry’s message about food insecurity. He later reconnected to WhyHunger by working at Hungerthon and hosting a number of Homemade Jams. Bob served on the WhyHunger Board of directors from 2015 - 2020, both on the executive committee and as Vice-chair. Bob is a deeply philanthropic person in his professional and personal life.
“Stacy and I are honored to receive the Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award, in recognition of the work we’ve been doing at SixDegrees.org and our support for WhyHunger,” said Kevin Bacon. “We believe our shared compassion has the power to unite, motivate and bring about positive change. We know WhyHunger is aligned in that mission.”
“Harry Chapin has long been an inspiration to me, and I’m humbled to receive this award in his memory,” said Warren Haynes. “I’m fully committed to using my music and platform to fuel meaningful change in the world. Thank you to WhyHunger for this honor.”
Over the past 20 years, WhyHunger has honored a cadre of artists in Harry Chapin’s memory, including Harry Belafonte, Pete Seeger, Barbra Streisand, Yoko Ono Lennon, Tom Morello, Jon Batiste, Jason Mraz, John Mellencamp, Jackson Browne, Judy Collins, Emmylou Harris, Darryl 'DMC' McDaniels, Michael McDonald, Peter, Paul & Mary, and Kenny Rogers.
This year’s annual gala will correspond with the kick-off of Hungerthon—WhyHunger’s annual month-long campaign to tackle the root causes of hunger in America and ensure everyone’s basic human right to nutritious food. Both the gala and Hungerthon raise critical funds to support WhyHunger’s work in the U.S. and around the world. To learn more about the WhyHunger Chapin Awards gala and to purchase tickets, visit whyhunger.org/chapinawards.
About WhyHunger
Founded in 1975 by the late Harry Chapin and radio DJ Bill Ayres, WhyHunger believes a world without hunger is possible. We provide critical resources to support grassroots movements and fuel community solutions rooted in social, environmental, racial and economic justice. A four-star rated charity by Charity Navigator, with highest ratings for excellence in fiscal management accountability and transparency, WhyHunger is working to end hunger and advance the human right to nutritious food in the U.S. and around the world. 91 cents of every dollar raised goes directly to programmatic work. Learn more at whyhunger.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.