SixDegrees.org

SixDegrees.org is a charity led by actor, musician, and philanthropist Kevin Bacon. Launched on January 18, 2007, the organization builds on the popularity of the "small world phenomenon" by enabling people to become "celebrities for their own causes" by donating to or raising money for any charity in the United States. In March, 2014, the organization celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game by announcing plans to connect local changemakers with recognized celebrities through "drop-ins" and "shout-outs".[1] Grassroots causes can submit events directly through the site and celebrities can contact the organization for help finding a cause anywhere in the world.

History

To launch SixDegrees.org, Bacon attended the opening weekend of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, UT, where he and other celebrities encouraged charitable giving.[2] By 2010, when Bacon was honored for his charitable activities by the Broadcast Film Critics Association, SixDegrees.org had raised nearly $3 million.[3] Speaking at a Make a Difference Day appearance in 2012, Bacon explained that he had initially disliked the "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" game when it first became popular, but later decided that he should make use of its popularity for something positive that would carry his personal brand, and he joked, "I didn't really like the sound of The Footloose Foundation."[4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ How Kevin Bacon Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Six Degrees Of Kevin Bacon, Jarett Wieselman, Buzzfeed. March 8, 2014. Retrieved Jan. 30, 2015.
  2. ↑ Jan. 18, 2007 press release from Network for Good. .
  3. ↑ "Critics to honour Kevin Bacon for his charity work", BBC News, January 5, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Kevin Bacon: We are all connected", The Belfast Telegraph, April 20, 2012.

External links