“The single most effective way to end homelessness is affordable housing,” said Sister Mary Scullion, who co-founded Project HOME in 1989. “Over time, JBJ Soul Homes will give hundreds of people a permanent home with supportive services that will allow them to flourish.”

JBJ Soul Homes’ residents will have access to all Project HOME services including basic medical care and fitness classes through its Health Initiative Program, employment training through its Employment Services Department, education access through its Honickman Learning Center and computer use through its Comcast Technology Labs.

The building received both private and public funding. The lead private funding came from the JBJ Soul Foundation, Leigh and John Middleton, and Elizabeth Moran and the lead public funding came from US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the City of Philadelphia. People for People, Inc. will manage the retail space and Project HOME is managing the residences.

“The opening of the JBJ Soul Homes is another example of what I like to call, The Power of WE” stated Jon Bon Jovi, Chairman of the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation. “It is a natural continuation of the work that we do, which started with the youth at Covenant House several years ago.” 

The Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, with its lead gift for the development of this project, provides leadership in affordable housing in Philadelphia and in its Soul Home in Newark, NJ. Mimi Box, JBJ Soul Foundation Director said, “We are committed to promoting innovation and long-lasting solutions to rebuilding pride in one’s self and one’s community, one SOUL at a time.”

JBJ Soul Homes is the second project of the Middleton Partnership. The Middleton Partnership, funded by a transformational leadership gift from Leigh and John Middleton and leveraging the support of both public and private funders, supports Project HOME’s strategy to end chronic street homelessness in Philadelphia over the next few years.

For more information about the JBJ Soul Homes and Project HOME, or how you can help, visit www.projecthome.org.

Jon Bon Jovi first visited Joseph’s House in November while it was under construction. Today, he was joined by Camden Mayor Dana Redd; Camden County Freeholder Director Lou Cappelli; Monsignor Robert McDermott, Pastor, St. Joseph’s Pro-Cathedral; and residents who have benefited from Joseph’s House.

Joseph’s House opened in late January during a Code Blue alert and has continued to serve 75 homeless men and women each night. The Atlantic Avenue facility offers a unique concept as it partners with local agencies to provide social support services and enable its guests to address underlying issues and become self-sufficient. Services and their providers include: medical – Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and Project HOPE; addictions – Center for Family Services, Living Proof Recovery Program; mental health – Twin Oaks; legal – South Jersey Legal Services; veterans – Veterans Multi-Service Center and Camden County Board of Social Services.

Previously, Joseph’s House operated as a temporary, six-month facility offering food and shelter for the area’s chronically homeless during the winter.

“Joseph’s House was created especially for our guests – from the building’s design to staff training, healthy meals and expansive support services,” said John Klein, executive director, Joseph’s House. “We’re passionate about providing a safe, comfortable environment where we can not only help our guests feel at home, but also build a relationship based on trust so we can work together and help them move forward in their lives. We’re on this journey together.”

Monsignor McDermott, board chairman of The Joseph Fund and pastor, St. Joseph’s Pro-Cathedral, helped Klein spearhead the transition of Joseph’s House from a temporary facility into a year-round operation. He says, “Joseph’s House is more than a place to stay on a night-by-night basis. Through help from our community partners, we connect individuals with the services they need to achieve independence. In doing so, we’re helping each of our guests end their individual cycle of homelessness.”

According to the Community Planning & Advocacy Council (CPAC), from October 1, 2013 to March 21, 2014, more than 19,300 homeless adults sought assistance from Camden County agencies, many of which are located in the City of Camden. The most frequent reason provided by these respondents was a job income loss or reduction, followed by reasons such as loss or reduction of benefits, alcohol or drug abuse and illness, among others.

“My Administration, along with the support of City Council, was proud to contribute $125,000 in city funds to the Joseph’s House project,” said Mayor Dana L. Redd. “The partnership between the City, the County of Camden, Jon Bon Jovi and the Soul Foundation, and Joseph’s House will have a positive impact in assisting the homeless population receive shelter and an array of social services in one location.”

In addition to its lead gift from the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, Joseph’s House also received funding from Camden County Freeholders and the Homeless Trust Fund Advisory Committee, City of Camden – Mayor’s Administration and City Council, The Connelly Foundation, Halloran Philanthropies, Mr. & Mrs. Richard Haydinger, International Raw Materials, The Joseph Fund and TD Bank Charitable Foundation.

“We are honored to be able to support Joseph’s House as they work hard to connect with men and women who may not have a safe place to stay at night. This important project fills a gap in homeless services in the Camden area by offering the resources to help end homelessness and is a huge step forward as witnessed by the demand,” said Jon Bon Jovi, Chairman, JBJ Soul Foundation.

Since 2006, the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation has provided solutions and opportunity for families and individuals in economic despair. The organization assists in establishing programs that provide food and affordable housing for those affected by poverty and homelessness, while supporting social services and job-training programs.

The Soul Foundation has helped provide over 440 units of affordable housing and shelter for hundreds of people who were formerly homeless or of low-income. In October 2011, the Foundation expanded by opening The JBJ Soul Kitchen to address issues of food insecurity, and has since served over 22,500 meals. The community kitchen serves nutritious, culinary dishes in a restaurant atmosphere where diners contribute either volunteer hours or a minimum donation for their meals. As the Foundation continues to expand, the goal is to assist with rebuilding pride in one’s self and one’s community – one SOUL at a time.

Joseph’s House works collaboratively with others to aid the homeless people of Camden by offering a continuum of services including emergency shelter, a range of supportive housing and access to comprehensive social services. For more information on Joseph’s House, visit josephshouseofcamden.org.

“Today we prove once again that we are committed to Camden,” Bon Jovi said on the day he toured the shelter, called Joseph’s House. “Today we have an opportunity to see what was, just a year ago, a vision.”

Over the past four years, Bon Jovi has brought to life a number of once-envisioned programs. He started small, initially working with a project called Camden GreenUP, which rehabbed vacant lots, turning them from dilapidated eyesores to green landscapes. The Jon Bon Jovi Foundation, headquartered in Philadelphia, gave a $50,000 matching donation for the improvement of the first 81 lots.

“Bon Jovi’s initial support kick-started that program,” says Jake Gordon, executive director of the Camden Special Services District, which manages GreenUP. “After working on those first lots, we were able to receive a federal grant to do more.” To date, 200 lots have been transformed.

Because a large part of the JBJ Foundation’s mission addresses housing issues, it was a natural progression for the musician to turn his attention to Heart of Camden, a nonprofit that has rehabbed more than 225 homes since its inception in 1985. The renovated homes – complete with new plumbing, heating and electric – are eventually sold to Camden residents at an affordable price.

The Foundation gave Heart of Camden a $262,000 grant, which helped them build nine homes. A year later, Heart of Camden honored Bon Jovi with its “Small Things with Great Love” award, honoring him at their annual gala in Cherry Hill, which he attended. (The sold-out gala raised an additional $300,000.)

“Jon Bon Jovi’s work, his spirit and the mission of his foundation is sincerely to help the homeless and the families of Camden, and to rebuild neighborhoods,” says Helene Pierson, former executive director of Heart of Camden who was with Bon Jovi during that first visit to Camden. “He’s passionate about his work. It isn’t about throwing money at something and never being a part of it. It’s about being part of something.”

The foundation also gave a grant for $58,000 to Hopeworks ’N Camden, an organization that teaches Camden youth career skills like web design and video production. The grant money was dedicated to the nonprofit’s construction of a community home for 10 young adults. Bon Jovi and his wife spent time with the young people at Hopeworks, answering questions and offering advice. The rocker talked about working hard to get what you want, mentioning how he continues to practice playing guitar every day.

Then earlier this year, Bon Jovi designated a $200,000 grant to partially fund the purchase and renovation of the new Joseph’s House, a project that will cost a little more than $1.1 million. Sitting just off Route 676 on Atlantic Avenue in Camden, the building was acquired in August and renovations began soon after. The fenced-in property will house a kitchen, recreation room and space to provide emergency shelter for up to 75 people. The facility opened this month.

Joseph’s House had been operating at a nearby property on Church Street, providing overnight shelter to 40 people. Because of low funding, it only opened during winter months. (In fact, Bon Jovi posted a birthday wish on his website in the spring of 2011 asking for donations so the shelter could remain open while a harsh winter ended. He got his wish.) Those running the original location say they weren’t able to provide a “dignified overnight stay” because people had to sleep on the floor. In the new shelter, residents will have cots to sleep on.

For the rest of this story, plus photos & video from the event, please visit: SJMagazine.net

Bon Jovi was joined by Camden Mayor Dana Redd, donors supporting the initiative and residents who have benefited from services of The Joseph Fund.

“We remain committed to Camden,” Jon Bon Jovi said about the Soul Foundation’s involvement in this project. “Today we have had the opportunity to see the progress on what a year ago was just a vision. We offer our sincere thanks to all the organizations and individuals involved in making Joseph’s House possible.”

The mission of Joseph’s House is to work collaboratively with others to aid the homeless men and women of Camden by offering a continuum of services including emergency shelter, a range of supportive housing, and access to comprehensive social services. Previously, Joseph’s House operated as a temporary, six-month facility offering food and shelter for the area’s chronically homeless during the winter months. When complete, the new site of Joseph’s House will accommodate 75 adults each night, providing food, shelter and support services for Camden’s homeless population year-round, with a longer-term goal of developing day programs.

“We understand the importance of providing onsite social services in addressing the long-term cycle of homelessness. With this new facility, we will expand those services to more men and women in need and help them secure stable futures,” said John Klein, executive director, Joseph’s House.

“Joseph’s House is designed to connect individuals with services that can lead them out of homelessness. Through help from our community partners, we hope to provide the help necessary for those who visit us to escape poverty,” said Monsignor McDermott, board chairman of The Joseph Fund and pastor, St. Joseph’s Pro-Cathedral, who helped Klein spearhead the transition of Joseph’s House from a temporary facility into a year-round operation.

Joseph’s House will partner with Project H.O.P.E., an organization dedicated to serving the medical and social needs of the homeless population, to provide case management services and health care, mental health and substance abuse services. In addition, Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center will operate a free onsite medical clinic utilizing volunteer physicians and nurses.

“The physical collaboration of providing shared services in one facility is unique to the city of Camden. Joseph’s House will be the only shelter offering this array of social services under one roof,” said Mark Hodges, executive director, The Joseph Fund.

Renovations of the building, located at 555 Atlantic Ave. in Camden, began in September and will continue to undergo renovations in order to house the Café Program, administrative offices and offices for social service partners of Joseph’s House. The project is expected to be completed by December 2013.

In addition to support from the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, Joseph’s House is being funded by contributions from the TD Bank Foundation, Halloran Philanthropies and Mr. and Mrs. Richard Haydinger.

Since 2006, the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation has provided solutions and opportunity for families and individuals in economic despair. The organization assists in establishing programs that provide food and affordable housing for those affected by poverty and homelessness, while supporting social services and job-training programs.

The Joseph Fund supports six ministries that provide housing and youth programs, convert abandoned buildings into affordable homes, and much more to the Camden community. In addition to Joseph’s House, programs of The Joseph Fund include The St. Joseph’s Carpenter Society, St. Joseph’s Elementary School, The Child Development Center, Lifting Up Camden’s Youth (L.U.C.Y.), and Romero Center Ministries.

From L to R: Pilar Hogan, Mark Hodges, Monsignor McDermott, and Jon Bon Jovi

To see more images from Jon Bon Jovi’s visit, please visit our Photo Gallery

For more information on Joseph’s House, visit josephshouseofcamden.org.
To learn more about The Joseph Fund or any of its six ministries, visit josephfundcamden.org/.

What is very evident in each community are the bonds formed between volunteers and residents in the aftermath of the storm. We heard stories from residents who over the course of the past year experienced shock and despair – as well as hope and overwhelming kindnesses from people around the country they did not even know before the storm hit.

We, once again, had the opportunity to thank those first responders who put their lives in harms way to save others. Jon Bon Jovi remembers those first hours after the storm in Sea Bright, and fittingly that was one of our stops today where we got to see the volunteer efforts still underway.

Jon Bon Jovi commented: “A year to the day we continue to thank all the first responders and our neighbors in New York and New Jersey for being there for each other in our time of need. This photo (below) is of 2 vehicles we purchased for responders to help serve our community and yours.” – JBJ

For more photos from today please visit our Photo Gallery

Thanks to all who continue to serve these communities!
-Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation