Jon Bon Jovi is a rock star on and off the stage.
The Grammy Award-winning singer is also a huge philanthropist. The JBJ Soul Foundation has helped so many people in need including our nation’s veterans. Through his foundation, the singer donated $500,000 to help fund the construction of the Walter Reed veteran apartment facility in Washington D.C. The project is just one of many the singer has been involved in to support our nation’s veterans.
Jon Bon Jovi spoke to CNN about why the project was so important.
“Oftentimes, [veterans] left to deal with PTSD [Post Traumatic Stress Disorder] and the issue of coming back to the workplace after leaving the battlefield…Life as you knew it is going to be different, and sometimes, people need that extra help.” – Jon Bon Jovi told CNN
A partnership between HELP USA and the JBJ Foundation made it all possible.
Although it took a decade to complete, it was worth the wait for many veterans that now call the retirement facility home. “It’s here, it’s real…77 vets will have a place to call home.” – Jon Bon Jovi told CNN.
The Walter Reed veteran facility is able to welcome 300 residents.
There are some top-notch amenities including a gym, a computer room, and a courtyard. There is also an area for relaxing around the fire with family or friends. Those veterans that meet the criteria are able to move into the facility. They will need to pay 30 percent of their income in rent from either a job wage, social security, or pensions.
This isn’t the first time that Jon Bon Jovi has made veterans a top priority.
His song, “Unbroken” was dedicated to honoring veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
It’s no secret that veterans deal with trauma no matter how long they have been away from the battlefield.
Veterans like Clifton Braxton will benefit from this new housing complex. “When I came back here with those pictures in my head and did not know it was called…It took me another 20 years before I could get a handle on that PTSD.” Braxton told CNN.
Braxton spoke to CNN about how the facility helped him to feel more stable.
“I haven’t had that in a while,” Braxton told CNN. He had been living in his car for over a year before he was able to live at Walter Reed. – CNN Jon Bon Jovi thanked Braxton for his service as he shook his hand.
HELP USA is hopeful that the new Walter Reed facility will help veterans feel comfortable socializing with one another.
The organization says that many homeless veterans are often socially isolated. It is the hope of everyone involved that the facility becomes a place where veterans feel at home. Proceeds from Jon Bon Jovi’s song “Unbroken” will also help veterans in need of a service dog through The Patriotic Service Dog Foundation.
https://www.facebook.com/jbjsoulfoundation/posts/10162436726700262
We are certain that the JBJ Soul Foundation will continue to be a positive influence in the lives of veterans.
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