Bon Jovi To be Honored Today
Rock star and philanthropist Jon Bon Jovi will receive the 2017 Service to America Leadership Award today from the NAB Education Foundation (NABEF) in recognition of his ongoing efforts to combat poverty and homelessness. In addition to his longtime day job as frontman of the iconic Grammy Award-winning band Bon Jovi, Jon Bon Jovi is also chairman of the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering positive change and helping the lives of those in need “one soul at a time.” The foundation supports programs and partnerships targeted at breaking the cycle of poverty and homelessness in the United States.
In October 2011, the Soul Foundation opened the first JBJ Soul Kitchen in Red Bank, NJ, Bon Jovi’s home state. The Soul Kitchen addresses the issue of food insecurity and has served over 60,000 meals. The foundation also aided in local recovery efforts in the days following Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The following year, Bon Jovi donated $1 million to the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund.
“Jon Bon Jovi has entertained audiences for decades and earned world-wide fame as an artist and performer,” said NABEF President Marcellus Alexander. “Despite his fame, Jon has never lost sight of community. His generous support of programs that address hunger and homelessness exemplifies the Leadership Award for which we will honor him.” Bon Jovi will receive the honor at NABEF’s Celebration of Service to America Awards today in Washington, DC. [Photo Credit: Norman Jean Roy]
