{"id":93,"date":"2006-10-07T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2006-10-07T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jonbonjovisoulfoundation.sparkart.wpengine.com\/?p=89"},"modified":"2006-10-07T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2006-10-07T07:00:00","slug":"speech-delivered-by-jon-bon-jovi-october-5-2006","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jbjsf.org\/news\/2006\/10\/07\/speech-delivered-by-jon-bon-jovi-october-5-2006\/","title":{"rendered":"SPEECH DELIVERED BY JON BON JOVI – OCTOBER 5, 2006"},"content":{"rendered":"\"JON\n

This is the text written by Jon Bon Jovi off of which he read his remarks. Verbatim transcript may reflect minor differences from final delivered comments. <\/i><\/p>\n

Thank you, Sister Mary Scullion, Joan Dawson McConnon, Jonathan Reckford, Jill Lajdziak and, of course, President Clinton.<\/p>\n

Thank you all for coming. First I\u2019d like to share with you who we are and why we are all here.<\/p>\n

In 2003 I became the co-owner of the Arena Football League\u2019s PHILADELPHIA SOUL (along with my partner, Craig Spencer.) From the inception of our franchise, the mission was to use the team as a way to give back to the community. Each season our directive to the staff has been to find the LOCAL CAUSES, the Father Flanagan\u2019s, if you will\u2026 help us find the ones who fell through the cracks. Nothing was too big and no one was too small. Our desire was simply to help those in need.<\/p>\n

\"JON
\nPLEASE UNDERSTAND, our team is not making money \u2013 and any money we do make, we give away. But I\u2019m very proud to say that as we head into our fourth season, we have been able to give away more than 2 MILLION DOLLARS to local causes in the name of BON JOVI and THE PHILADELPHIA SOUL.<\/p>\n

We may have started small but we thought big. Whether it was a playground for the Northern Home for Children, beds for Covenant House, or starting a helpline for kids\u2026 the Soul were always there.<\/p>\n

Today we\u2019re proud to announce the creation of the Philadelphia Soul Foundation \u2013 the natural extension of the team\u2019s philanthropic work.<\/p>\n

In the last year and a half, the Soul and I — along with the band — have become very involved with Habitat for Humanity. Between Houma, Louisiana and here in Philadelphia, we will have given 34 families a place they could call home.<\/p>\n

I spend a lot of time here in Philadelphia. One night while I was looking out of my hotel window I saw a homeless man sleeping in front of City Hall.
\nI wanted to help him.
\nI wanted to fix that.
\nI realize the homeless problem is immense. And I realize that no one has all the answers. I needed help. That\u2019s how I came to meet SISTER MARY SCULLION and PROJECT H.O.M.E.<\/p>\n

It was Sister Mary who educated me about the need to provide not only shelter to the homeless but education and job training \u2013 it was all about breaking the cycle. Sister Mary opened my eyes and taught me to look at all the problems that combine together to form the bigger issue that is homelessness.<\/p>\n

For example \u2013 job training — you can\u2019t even get a job working as a cashier at the local superstore without basic computer skills. Agencies like Project H.O.M.E. provide that job training that can take someone from a minimum wage job to just a $10.00 per hour job.<\/p>\n

And if you don\u2019t think that sounds like much of a difference \u2013 think again. $5.00 per hour\u2026 $40.00 per day\u2026 $200.00 per week.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the difference in the quality and quantity of food you are able to feed your children.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the difference in being able to pay the electric bill or the phone bill because heat, electricity and phone service are not luxuries \u2013 they are basic necessities.<\/p>\n

Habitat for Humanity\u2019s work speaks for itself \u2013 you\u2019ve seen it. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina and the Tsunami, for example, Habitat was there \u2013 rebuilding lives. And that\u2019s just in response to disaster. In Habitat\u2019s 30 year history, they\u2019ve built more than 200,000 homes\u2026 and dreams, by offering families a chance to be first-time homeowners.<\/p>\n

The program\u2019s successes are undeniable. But if you\u2019re eligible for a Habitat home, you\u2019re already at the top of the statistical heap. What about those who can\u2019t think about making rent or even having a warm place to sleep at night?<\/p>\n

That is where Project H.O.M.E. shines. By offering job training, education and social services, Project H.O.M.E. empowers individuals to break the cycle of homelessness. They can put them on the path to home ownership.<\/p>\n

How do we bridge the purpose of Habitat with the PROMISE of Project H.O.M.E. ?<\/p>\n

Well, this is why we\u2019re here. What you see behind us is a new beginning.<\/p>\n

For the first time, Habitat For Humanity has partnered with a local provider.
\nTogether with support from our partners at SATURN, we are reconstructing these 15 row homes.<\/p>\n

This will be the new model.<\/p>\n

Here we have local service providers, Habitat for Humanity, and corporate America all working together to rebuild communities.<\/p>\n

It is my sincere desire to see these people BECOME their community. They become the homeowners and business owners and investors in their own future, reshaping their own neighborhood. We can\u2019t let neighborhood become a thing of the past.<\/p>\n

The Arena Football League is about ACCESSIBILITY and AFFORDABILITY
\nand is PLAYED FOR AND BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE A DREAM.
\nThat is what the SOUL is about.
\nThat\u2019s what this partnership is about.
\nWe want to invite you to join our team.<\/p>\n

The greatest social good is assisting individuals to take responsibility for themselves.
\nTogether we can make a difference.
\nOne soul at a time.<\/p>\n

Thank you\u2026<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

JON BON JOVI delivered the following speech on October 5th, 2006 in Philadelphia, PA at the Press Event announcing the establishment of the PHILADELPHIA SOUL CHARITABLE FOUNDATION and their partnership with PROJECT H.O.M.E., SATURN and HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":92,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[23,8],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n