As of mid-August, selective demolition has been completed and the final cleanup is occurring in the existing building. The foundation for the apartment addition has been replaced and the walls are being installed inside, with the new interior framing also beginning to take shape.

This project is looking at about a 9 month completion schedule and we hope to celebrate the opening in late March or early April 2014. We will keep you updated on this project as things move along and we thank you for your support. Without it, projects like these would not be possible. You are helping us make a difference…one SOUL at a time.

To view photos of the progress at Merrick Hall, visit our PHOTO ALBUM

To read the press release from the groundbreaking, please click HERE

To view all the photos from this event, please visit our Photo Gallery

Many of our Community Partners and friends are still in need of help after suffering the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy. All donations received through this campaign will go directly to assist them in rebuilding. If you would like to donate to the JBJ Soul Foundation Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Fund, please click HERE

Below is the full press release from the event:

BON JOVI DONATES $1 MILLION TO HURRICANE SANDY NEW JERSEY RELIEF FUND

Donation will add to the Relief Fund’s efforts to assist organizations involved in home repairs and rebuilding projects throughout New Jersey communities

(Sayreville, NJ) – New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, rock legend Jon Bon Jovi and First Lady Mary Pat Christie announced a $1 million dollar donation from Bon Jovi to the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund, chaired by Mrs. Christie. The ceremony and announcement of the donation took place at the Sayreville Borough Hall with New Jersey’s First Lady Mary Pat Christie, Governor Chris Christie, musician Jon Bon Jovi, Sayreville Mayor Kennedy O’Brien and members of the Sayreville community in attendance.

“This incredibly generous donation from Bon Jovi to the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund will go a long way in the rebuilding process,” said Governor Christie. “From day one, Jon has been one of the most visible faces for Sandy recovery here in his hometown of Sayreville and throughout the entire state. On behalf of a grateful people, I thank Jon and Bon Jovi for all of the great work they’ve done for New Jersey.”

Bon Jovi is a native New Jersey band and was among the all-star line-up for 12/12/12: The Concert for Sandy Relief. In the days immediately following Hurricane Sandy, Jon Bon Jovi toured his hometown of Sayreville, spoke with residents, and witnessed the massive damage firsthand. The Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded to combat issues that force families and individuals into economic despair, is active in the ongoing Hurricane Sandy recovery process working with federal, state and local officials to direct donations and resources to local recovery efforts and those in need. This one-million dollar donation by Bon Jovi to the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund represents the band’s ongoing commitment to the people of their home state and to rebuilding a stronger New Jersey together.

“Natural disasters spare no one,” said Bon Jovi frontman, Jon Bon Jovi, a Sayreville native. “But you can’t imagine the devastation, destruction and despair until Mother Nature takes aim at your hometown. This is bittersweet; it’s heartbreaking to see our fellow New Jerseyans so affected by the ravages of Hurricane Sandy but we’re happy to make this donation and offer real, substantial help to the residents of Sayreville and the nearby, low-lying communities as they rebuild their homes and lives.”

The Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund is a non-profit organization that raises and distributes funds to organizations supporting the recovery and rebuilding efforts of New Jersey communities impacted by the storm. The Relief Fund’s priority is to work with community-based non-profit organizations to ensure funds support initiatives such as mental health services, economic development, financial counseling and assistance for those who have lost homes and jobs, mold remediation, and home repairs. Fifty one grants have been awarded to date totaling $11 million, with the next grant cycle to be announced later this week.

“Thousands of New Jersey residents, including many here in Sayreville, still haven’t returned to their homes. This donation will help the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund ‘fill the gap’ between the cost of repairs and other aid received by homeowners to restore or reconstruct their homes,” said New Jersey First Lady Mary Pat Christie. “The generous support we continue to receive from so many around the world and especially from homegrown heroes like Jon Bon Jovi will help fellow New Jerseyans complete the work necessary to make their homes livable.” Mrs. Christie stressed, “We are so grateful to Bon Jovi for the love and commitment they have toward their home state and for this charitable donation to the Relief Fund.”

About the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund
The Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund distributes funds to organizations that support the recovery and rebuilding efforts of New Jersey communities impacted by the storm. The Relief Fund aims to make a sustainable, long-term impact and has awarded 51 grants totaling $11 million, to date, for home rebuilding, mold remediation, mental health support, economic development, and financial and legal counseling. Donors interested in making a contribution can visit the Fund online at www.SandyNJReliefFund.org or make an immediate, one-time $10 donation directly to their phone bill by texting “SANDY” to 20222. Message and data rates may apply.

“Hi my name is Chimere and I have 3 kids. Just a year ago things were very hard for me. I tried as a Mother to be the best Mother for my kids. I also was receiving General Assistance through the struggle. I wanted to attend Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) classes which would cost $1300. I was asking around to see if I could get help with the payment, and with someone’s help within 2 days I had a sponsor and the sponsor was Mrs. Helene Pierson from Heart of Camden.

During my struggle I was living in a house where the landlord did not want to fix anything. Mold was growing through the whole house. I finished the CNA classes and as of Nov. 7, 2012. It’s been a year for me working as a CNA which also helped me to get where I am today in life. I now have a house from the Heart of Camden. When I received the great news that on Oct. 1 I would be moving to a new and improved house from the Heart of Camden, all I could do was thank God for blessing me and my kids with a brand new house.”

We thank Chimere for sharing her family’s story with us and are proud to have been a part of helping her and her children find a safe home to call their own. We wish them all the best!

Affordable housing is not out of reach so long as families are given the tools and opportunity to become successful homeowners. Heart of Camden provides homeownership counseling and guidance through the mortgage process plus support for new homeowners moving into Waterfront South. A strong organization supporting strong homeowners builds a monumental sense of community in the neighborhood. For more information on Heart of Camden, please visit their website: heartofcamden.org

Projects like this one would not be possible without your support. To donate to the JBJ Soul Foundation, please click HERE. Your donation helps to make a difference…one SOUL at a time.

Without help from our caring donor base, supporting work like this would not be possible. The Power of WE at work – and what WE can do when WE come together.

Thank you for your continued support of the Soul Foundation and our mission to end homelessness…one SOUL at a time.

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To view photos from the ribbon cutting ceremony that Jon Bon Jovi participated in at Rights of Passage, please click HERE

To read the press release from the event, please click HERE