Together and with The Power of We, we can start a revolution. One Soul at a time... ~Jon Bon Jovi *** There's a Story on every street corner, my friend. All you have to do is open your eyes... ~Richie Sambora

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Touring Conference & Awards: Who Says You Can't Go Home
Jon Bon Jovi And The Philadelphia Soul Charitable Foundation Honored With Humanitarian Award

RAY WADDELL

At the Billboard Touring Conference and Awards, Billboard's Humanitarian Award recognizes the philanthropic efforts of a touring professional. Few charitable endeavors could be deemed more "humanitarian" than providing an affordable home for a family in need, which is why Jon Bon Jovi and the Philadelphia Soul Charitable Foundation have been chosen as the 2008 Humanitarian Award honorees at this year's conference, taking place Nov. 19-20 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York.

Bon Jovi's mission to provide affordable housing to those in need began even before he and the ownership group of the Arena Football League's Philadelphia Soul decided to establish the nonprofit Philadelphia Soul Charitable Foundation in October 2006. The effort is ongoing; just last month, 51 units of housing, developed in partnership with HelpUSA, were announced for Newark, N.J. This project will bring the number of affordable housing units that Bon Jovi and the foundation have been involved with since 2005 to 140.

"Jon's leadership and vision has been amazing, and he truly has leveraged his celebrity status to the benefit of many homeless and low-income individuals finding themselves in an economic crisis involving housing," foundation director Mimi Box says. "Although our mission is broad-helping people in economic distress-our funding priorities have been directed toward those experiencing a lack of affordable housing for themselves and their families. We have met an incredibly large number of folks who just need a little help to stabilize their living situation."

Using an oft-heard but heartfelt phrase in philanthropy, Box quotes Bon Jovi as saying the foundation's goal is to offer "a hand up, not a handout."

Bon Jovi's passion for the foundation is "enormous," according to Jack Rovner, the band's co-manager at Vector Management, and his approach is creative. "Jon's model of combining corporate, private and government monies has yielded over 100 homes in the last three years," Rovner says. "Being part of that has been enormously gratifying, and to find new ways and new projects to initiate it is absolutely a great feeling."

Asked why this particular cause resonates with him, Bon Jovi says, "When you look at the number of families and children that on any given night in our country do not have a place to call home, it strikes a chord-no pun intended-with me. Homelessness hits more people than you can imagine: 3.5 million people, 1.35 million of them children, are likely to experience homelessness in a given year."

Homelessness "is an issue we can address without the help of science," Bon Jovi adds. "One of the causes of homelessness is lack of safe, decent and affordable housing-[which] is a crisis we can tackle, but it will take money, patience and perseverance. So, I've found the challenge which has spoken to me, and I'm trying to make a difference in the lives of these people who want to help themselves but just need a little help."

Bon Jovi says he is "extremely pleased" with the foundation's growth. "And in efforts like this, no one can do it alone," he adds. "Support from all sectors in the communities in which we have built has enabled us to accomplish so much in the first two years of our foundation's existence. Without support from the private sector as well as the many individuals throughout the country that support our mission, we would not have been able to work with our nonprofit partners [Project H.O.M.E., Habitat for Humanity, HelpUSA and others] in providing over 140 units of affordable housing. It has also afforded us the opportunity to be a voice for the low-income and formerly homeless populations who, in some cases for the first time, are achieving the American dream of home ownership for their families. There is a great need in our country for affordable housing, especially in today's economic environment."

Companies including Saturn, ICAP, Kenneth Cole, Coty, Comcast, Condé Nast and SAP have been big believers in the foundation's mission and have supported it financially and with volunteer labor, Box says.

Bon Jovi's star power and dedication to the cause have also "exponentially increased" local support and facilitated involvement with such partners as Project H.O.M.E., HelpUSA and Habitat for Humanity.

Bon Jovi has seen plenty of packed houses in his career, including 99 of them on the band's 2007-08 Lost Highway tour, a finalist for the top tour and top draw awards this year. But it seems a different kind of full house can be highly rewarding as well.

"I've seen what a miraculous thing it is to hand someone the keys to a new home," Bon Jovi says, "not only a beautiful home that they can be proud to own, but a home that they have invested their own time, sweat and resources in."

Longtime band manager and tour director Paul Korzilius knows firsthand Bon Jovi's dedication to this cause. "Throughout my long association with Jon I've always been amazed and impressed by his commitment to the community," he says. "This foundation has allowed it to be a bit more formalized, but this is not a newfound passion, it is lifelong passion. I've seen it every day for over 20 years."

Previous Humanitarian Award winners include Clear Channel Entertainment for Hurricane Relief (2004), Dave Matthews Band's Bama Rags foundation (2005), Music Rising (2006) and Kevin Wall/Live Earth (2007). -Ray Waddell


And he wonders why we love him? When I hear about things like this, it makes my heart smile.

4 comments:

Anonymous,  November 18, 2008 at 10:38 AM  

*sigh* I know, Queenie, I feel the same way.

And hopefully this means we'll get some new yummy pics of him dressed up in a suit this week! :)

Faithfully yours,
The Fiction Mistress

Queenie November 18, 2008 at 11:29 AM  

Hmmm, I didn't think of that Sam. Maybe we'll get to see a pocket square again! :)

Anonymous,  November 18, 2008 at 3:53 PM  

YOU READ MY MIND QUEENIE!

joviswillow November 19, 2008 at 12:25 AM  

This is just fantastic! I can't wait to see the pics (like FM) and to hear more about what comes after getting this type of recognition.

Post a Comment

Queenie would love to know who's following along. Comments are both encouraged and appreciated!

Queenie's Loyal Subjects

About Me

My photo
I am and always have been a Bon Jovi fan. This blog is just my obsession taken a step further, my imagination in high gear if you will. I love to read and decided to see what would happen when I took that love of the written word and ramped it up a bit.

You Can Go Home

Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation

The Traveling Guitar

What Q Has to Say

30th Anniversary Access Hollywood Advil Aftermath of the Lowdown Albums AMAs American Idol Articles Auctions Avon Awards Bamboozle Festival Because We Can Because We Can - the Tour Benefit Concert Biker Bash Billboard bits and bobs Bon Jovi Books Born to Be My Baby Bruce Springsteen Burning Bridges Calvin and Hobbes Campaign Can Do Awards Cari Quinn Characters Unite Christmas CNN Comics Concerts Contests Danny Gokey Daughtry David Bergman David Bryan Digital Download Disaster Aid Discography Diving Into Hampton Water Do What You Can DVDs DVR Alerts Extra Facebook Fan Club favorites Fictionistas Football Forbes Fun Stuff Fundraisers Golden Globes Golf Greatest Hits gulf shores Hamptons Happy Now Hard Rock Calling Holidays Hugh McDonald Hurricane Sandy In Memoriam Inside The Actor's Studio Interviews Jazz Fest Jennifer Nettles Jon Bon Jovi Jon Bon Jovi and Friends Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation Keep The Faith Kings of Suburbia Letterman London Love's The Only Rule Madison Square Garden Master Class MDA Telethon Memphis Merchandise Merry Christmas Midnight Mission Miscellaneous Mohegan Sun Montreal Movies MTV Awards Music New Jersey New Meadowlands Stadium New Years Eve News No Apologies NY Giants O2 Orianthi Out and About People Magazine Philadelphia Soul Philanthropy Pictures President Obama Promo Q Quebec quickie Rants Real Estate Rehab Reviews Richie Sambora Rock and Roll HOF Rock Band 3 Rock in Rio Rock of Ages rock star baby Rockin' Rio Royal Beach RSO Slippery When Wet SoHo Penthouse Soraia Soul Kitchen St. Bart's Story Updates Streaming Stumping Superman Tonight Superstorm Sandy TaraLeigh Taryn Elliott TDB Television The Band The Circle The Circle Tour The Grammys The Grove The Today Show The Tony's This Ain't A Love Song This House is Not For Sale This is Our House Throwback Thursday Tickets Tico Torres Tour Dates Toxic Avenger Tribeca Film Festival Twilight Twilight Saga Valentine's Day VH1 Videos Washington DC wayback wednesday We Weren't Born to Follow Webcast What About Now What Do You Got When We Were Beautiful White House Council White Trash Beautiful Wine WTC Anniversary WTF You Can Go Home

  © Blogger template Brownium by Ourblogtemplates.com 2009

Back to TOP