Author Archives: Soul Foundation

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October 17 2019

Joseph’s House of Camden Celebrates Expanded Facilities and New Services on World Homeless Day

Grand Open House included facility tours and remarks from key donors,
including Jon Bon Jovi

Camden, NJ – October 17, 2019 – Joseph’s House of Camden (JHOC), a South Jersey-based homeless shelter committed to providing shelter and support for those in need, hosted a Grand Open House on October 10, World Homeless Day, to celebrate the opening of expanded facilities and the addition of day services. The day’s program featured remarks from Executive Director Shawn Sheekey, Camden Mayor Frank Moran and representatives from donor organizations, including Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artist, philanthropist and New Jersey native, Jon Bon Jovi, who supports the shelter as Chairman of the JBJ Soul Foundation.

The brief program included an invocation from JHOC Board Member Father Mike McCue, an inspiring story from Liz Holmes, a former guest who was able to overcome homelessness and a 30-year addiction with the help of Joseph’s House staff and fellow guests. Also on hand to make remarks were representatives of other major capital campaign donors, Sandy Capell,Manager, Corporate Responsibility and Philanthropy for the Subaru of America Foundation and Tim Durkin, Vice President for Grantmaking at the Connelly Foundation.

During the event, guests, donors and community partners toured the expanded facilities and spoke with local service providers who are now more accessible to guests with the new day program in place. These organizations include Rutgers Health Services, Taylor Care Adult Behavioral Health, Center for Family Services – Living Proof Recovery Center, Maryville Addiction Treatment Centers, Project H.O.P.E., Camden County Board of Social Services, Amerigroup and Camden Coalition.

“Today marks a watershed moment in Joseph’s House’s history. We have many great things to celebrate and be grateful for: our renovation and expansion and, most importantly, the start of our new day program which enables us to double down on the critical services we provide to the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Shawn Sheekey, Executive Director of Joseph’s House of Camden, “This is a crucial step toward our goal of ending homelessness in South Jersey and we are eternally grateful to our donors, volunteers and community supporters who share in this vision and helped get us here.”

The new, 17,000 square foot, $1.2 million renovated facility expands Joseph’s House’s overnight capacity from 80 to 90 cots. At the heart of the upgraded shelter is The HUB, a dedicated space for guests to meet one-on-one with service providers. Adjacent to the HUB is a spacious waiting room, where guests can read, watch TV or socialize while they wait to meet with providers. Other features include a computer room where guests can work on resumes and search for jobs or housing, an upgraded laundry facility and lockers for storing personal belongings.

“We are proud to partner with Joseph’s House to help bring critical services to those most in need,” said Jon Bon Jovi, JBJ Soul Foundation Board Chairman. “Thank you to everyone who supported the new renovations and expanded day program at Joseph’s House and for continuing to take hope to the next level in Camden.”

About Joseph’s House of Camden

Joseph’s House of Camden is a non-profit homeless shelter that collaborates with community members and partners to aid South Jersey’s homeless men and women by offering a continuum of services including emergency shelter, and access to supportive housing and comprehensive social services. On average, the facility provides food and shelter for 80 homeless men and women each night, and now provides day-services in order to provide additional support for men and women in the region. Information and links to donate can be found on the website.

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September 16 2019

A Wonderful Weekend of Celebration at the Friends and Family Community Fair

For the first time, JBJ Soul Kitchen in Toms River, NJ combined it’s annual Friends & Family Community Resource Fair with it’s highly popular “Every Bowl Feeds A Soul” Empty Bowls Pottery Event.

On Saturday, September 14, 2019 at JBJ Soul Kitchen Toms River (1769 Hooper Avenue, Toms River in the B.E.A.T Center Complex), organizations gathered to distribute information on local programs and services available to the community.

JBJ Soul Kitchen simultaneously hosted their annual Every Bowl Feeds a Soul event showcasing hand made ceramic bowls which were available for a $20 Pay It Forward donation as part of ongoing efforts to address food insecurity issues in our area.

Thank you to all of our participating organizations for their generous support!

Preferred Behavioral Health Group

Hope Sheds Light, INC

Mental Health Association in New Jersey- Ocean County

Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention

Zzak G. Applaud Our Kids Foundation INC.

Community Medical Center

Legacy Treatment Services

The Children Home’s Society of New Jersey

YMCA of Greater Monmouth County (formally Ocean County YMCA)

Hands For All

Social Community Activities Network (SCAN)

Toms River Police Department

Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention

Ocean County CASA

Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity

Pinwheel Place

Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey

Ocean County Achievement Center

WHERE THERE IS LOVE THERE IS PLENTY

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August 22 2019

JBJ SOUL FOUNDATION LENDS SUPPORT TO PILGRIM BAPTIST CHURCH SUMMER STEAM PROGRAM

Red Bank program provides two events assisting families to prepare for the 2019 – 2020 school year

RED BANK, NJ – The Summer STEAM Academy hosted by The Pilgrim Baptist Church (PBC) is scheduled from August 19th to August 23rd at 172 Shrewsbury Avenue, Red Bank, NJ 07701. STEAM Academy is a 5-day school readiness initiative that provides school-aged students (grades 3-12) with an opportunity to develop the skills and experience necessary for a successful start to the school year. Special attention is given to abbreviated core areas of; Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics. Also, students are exposed to social, health & wellness and career opportunity discussions designed to foster improved self-esteem and educational motivation. The cost of the Academy is $5.00 per student. However, scholarships are available. No student will be denied the opportunity to attend.

Food stress and food insecurity is a daily issue for many students in the surrounding community. To promote healthy eating habits, evening meals, snacks and discussions on nutrition are provided throughout the program. The healthy eating initiative is supported by a generous grant from the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation.

As a spearhead for The JBJ and PBC Hope & Comfort Warming Center, Marylou Caputo, Community Program Manager at JBJ Soul Kitchen Red Bank (alongside Pastor Porter of PBC) is at the head of efforts to provide more opportunities for success in the community. “JBJ Soul Foundation is happy to support Pilgrim Baptist Church and its latest endeavor to assist students with a great start to the new school year,” said Marylou of the partnership. “Whether we are addressing a night of warmth at the Warming Center or giving students a “warm up” for a successful school year, the JBJ Soul Foundation is pleased to join PBC as they continue to provide opportunities to champion all in our community.”

The week of activities will culminate on Saturday, August 24 with a region-wide “Back-to-School Festival.” The festival will provide backpacks & school supplies for every student, as well as a barbecue, live entertainment, health screening, voter registration and other exhibits for all families in attendance. The festival is sponsored by The HOSA Fund, Inc. (House on Steven Avenue) to provide backpacks and supplies to over 500 students in Monmouth, Ocean & Middlesex Counties.

For further information, please call Pastor Porter at 732-747-2343.

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ABOUT PILGRIM BAPTIST CHURCH

The Mission of the Pilgrim Baptist Church shall be to spread the gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ through the preaching of the gospel, teaching of the scriptures, and supporting both home and foreign missions. It shall also be to perpetuate the sacred ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper and provide a place of worship and fellowship for the membership.

This Church endeavors to meet on Sunday for worship services, and as the Lord leads us, shall meet to offer other opportunities for worship consistent with Protestant tradition. For additional information visit http://www.pilgrim-baptist.org/

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April 24 2019

Project HOME Raises More Than $10 Million at 30th Anniversary Gala

Donations, including landmark gift from Lynne and Harold Honickman, will support work to end and prevent homelessness in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA, PA (April 17, 2019)—Project HOME announced today that it raised a total of $10 million at its 30th Anniversary Gala at the Marriott Downtown Philadelphia on April 16, 2019. Attendees and committed citizens donated $3.5 million leading up to the gala. During the event, more than 1,400 civic and business leaders, philanthropists, and young adults had the opportunity to make additional gifts to Project HOME in multiples of 30, with Jon Bon Jovi providing a $300,000 gift from the JBJ Soul Foundation. Lynne and Harold Honickman, who were honored with a lifetime achievement award during the gala, committed an additional $6 million to help Project HOME reach the $10 million mark.

“When Project HOME began 30 years ago, we couldn’t have imagined the impact it would have thanks to the support of so many generous and visionary individuals,” said Sister Mary Scullion, Project HOME co-founder and Executive Director. “We have ambitious plans for the funds we raised that will address the needs and challenges of individuals and families struggling with homelessness, poverty, mental health issues, and substance use disorder. We’re grateful to the entire Project HOME community for their commitment and wish to extend a special thank you to Lynne and Harold Honickman for their ongoing leadership and support.”

During the gala, Sister Mary and Joan Dawson McConnon laid out a five-year plan focused on three core areas – increasing and preserving housing, expanding education and workforce development programs, and expanding outreach for chronically street homeless individuals. The event also included a presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award to Lynne and Harold Honickman honoring their legacy of support for Project HOME, which includes the Honickman Learning Center and Comcast Technology Labs in North Philadelphia. The gala was chaired by Marjorie and Jeffrey Honickman with honorary Co-Chairs Dorothea and Jon Bon Jovi.

“To be surrounded at the gala by so many people in a shared community with a shared vision was electrifying,” said Lynne Honickman. “We’re proud to support Project HOME’s efforts to provide housing, education and other necessities for a meaningful life and believe deeply in Sister Mary and Project HOME’s credo – ‘None of us are home until all of us are home.’”

“One of the most important lessons of the last three decades is that no one person can do this alone,’ said Jon Bon Jovi. “The mission of ending homelessness and ensuring that everyone has a place to live…it takes everyone and what I like to call, “The Power of We’.”

Support for the Project HOME 30th Anniversary Gala and the organization’s ongoing work was provided by Bank of America, Susan and George Connell, Sheila and John Connors, Pam Estadt and Ira Lubert, Deborah M. Fretz, Janet and John Haas, Shirley and Richard Hahn, Joan and Daniel Hilferty, Lynne and Harold Honickman, Marjorie and Jeffrey Honickman, Independence Foundation, Liz and Matthew Kamens, Caroline and Sidney Kimmel, Maguire Foundation, Leigh and John Middleton, Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer and Joseph Neubauer, Linda Richardson and Steven Korman, Aileen and Brian Roberts, A. Morris Williams, Jr., and so many other generous people and organizations.

About MPOWER
MPOWER is a Project HOME Community Investment Partnership drawing on a powerful network of people and ideas that multiplies Project HOME’s impact in five key areas: investments, relationships, resources, advocacy, and evidence. In just five years, the partnership’s impact multiplier model has leveraged $25 million into $250 million which has helped to provide services to more than 15,000 people, including ending chronic street homelessness for more than 1,000 people.

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February 20 2019

Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, Sands Cares Help Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth Kick Off Housing Expansion Campaign with Initial Funding Commitments

UPDATE: Thanks to your support, JBJSF was able to unlock their match grant of $100k to contribute to the NPHY Housing Expansion Campaign in Southern Nevada. We ask that you work together to raise from 68% to 100% of our overall goal and help us make a difference.

New Campaign Will Support Additional Beds for Homeless and At-Risk Youth, Addressing a Key Strategy Outlined in the Southern Nevada Plan to End Youth Homelessness

LAS VEGAS, February 20, 2019 – Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth today launched a Housing Expansion Campaign to generate funds for a new facility that will provide much-needed beds for homeless youth in Southern Nevada, and announced a $100,000 seed investment from Las Vegas Sands (NYSE: LVS) through Sands Cares. As a committed partner in the fight to end youth homelessness, Sands reached out to the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation to join the effort, marking the Soul Foundation’s first charitable investment in Southern Nevada.

NPHY aims to raise $500,000 through the Housing Expansion Campaign and will use funds to purchase and develop a new multi-family property to flexibly house homeless and at-risk youth. Beyond the seed investment from Sands Cares, the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation is pledging to match additional donations dollar for dollar, up to $100,000, to inspire the Las Vegas community to take action and help our region’s most vulnerable population.

“For a homeless youth, having a bed means more than just a place to sleep — it’s their foundation for a brighter future,” said Arash Ghafoori, executive director of NPHY. “Today, our community only has enough youth-dedicated beds to serve less than 22 percent of the young people experiencing homelessness on a given night in Southern Nevada. Expanding NPHY’s housing inventory means more youth not only have a place to sleep, they have the safety, stability, and support needed to grow and thrive.”

The NPHY Housing Expansion Campaign is targeting major gifts from corporations and foundations, and the community can also make significant impact by donating online at www.nphy.org/aplacetosleep.

“The high rate of youth homelessness and the dire need for housing in Southern Nevada was distressing to us,” said Jon Bon Jovi, Board Chairman of the JBJ Soul Foundation. “We are pledging support for this campaign through a matching grant because we want to motivate others to take action. Together, we can give homeless youth more than just a place to sleep – we will provide them with the resources they need for self-sufficiency and success.”

Since 2006, the JBJ Soul Foundation has worked to break the cycle of hunger, poverty and homelessness through developing partnerships, creating programs and providing grant funding to support innovative community benefit organizations. The foundation has helped provide funding for more than 600 units of affordable and supportive housing in 10 states for thousands of people including youth and veterans.

“We knew that getting the JBJ Soul Foundation involved in Southern Nevada would be a great catalyst for our community, having seen the amazing results they have accomplished in other parts of the country,” said Ron Reese, senior vice president of global communications and corporate affairs at Las Vegas Sands. “We hope to see a big community rally around the campaign momentum started by the JBJ Soul Foundation and Sands Cares. It’s imperative that we give our community’s vulnerable youth a fresh start.”

The new housing facility will add significant capacity to an already under-resourced support system for homeless youth in Southern Nevada. NPHY’s planned multi-family property will not only provide beds for youth, but also a foundation for delivering a myriad of services to put homeless youth on a pathway to self-sufficiency. Youth in NPHY’s housing programs also receive wraparound support services, including one-on-one case management with a licensed social worker, life skills classes, therapy, workforce readiness training, educational counseling, transportation assistance, enrichment opportunities, and referrals to a wide range of community resources.

The NPHY Housing Expansion Campaign comes in direct response to the recently released Southern Nevada Plan to End Youth Homelessness, which mapped out a strategy of increasing housing through innovative funding partnerships such as this one. Unveiled at the second annual Southern Nevada Youth Homelessness Summit, presented by NPHY and Sands Cares in November 2018, the plan addressed the alarming youth homelessness statistics that plague this region. Clark County’s metro area ranks fifth in the nation for the rate of unaccompanied homeless youth living on the streets or in shelters and the state of Nevada has the nation’s highest rate of unsheltered homeless youth, according to the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development. Underscoring these numbers, Las Vegas was named the worst U.S. metropolitan area for providing affordable rental housing for its poorest families in 2018, with only 15 affordable and available rental homes for every 100 low-income renter households.

To learn more about NPHY’s capital campaign or make a campaign pledge, visit www.nphy.org/aplacetosleep.

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Contacts:

Lanette Rivera
Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth lanette@nphy.org
702-688-1013

Kristin Koca
Las Vegas Sands Corp. Kristin.Koca@sands.com
702-414-3218

Lauren Brajer
JBJ Soul Foundation lauren@jbjsoulfoundation.org
973-580-1575