Rocker Jon Bon Jovi Pays it Forward, With Soul

Regardless of what you may think of Bon Jovi—the pretty face, the cheesy lyrics, the 20 years that have passed since the 1980s—you've got to admit that the guy, and his rock band of friends, has staying power.

While many hair bands of the era are playing the carnivals and state fairs, Bon Jovi and his crew are still packing them in, albeit with shorter hair.

And they've remained relevant, with a recent album, "Lost Highway," that dipped into country (and was the highest grossing tour of 2008) and a new album "The Circle."

What of the new album? Well, the name might remind you of the whole circle of life thing, the cradle-to-cradle movement, the concept of making sure we protect the Earth and its resources for future generations.

On that note, Jon Bon Jovi has a foundation that helps kids. Isn't it great when you go looking for information on an artist you like, and you find there's a conscience behind the microphone? Doesn't it bum you out when you find nothing?

Bon Jovi's cause is called the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation.

The nonprofit organization, founded in 2006, "exists to combat issues that force families and individuals into economic despair," according to the foundation's Web site. "Through the funding and creation of programs and partnerships, we support innovative community efforts to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness."

The idea is building pride in people and communities "one SOUL at a time." They have their work cut out for them in the current economy.

In October, the foundation helped build a playground in Camden, New Jersey, (Jon's home state) for kids at the Rafael Cordero Molina Elementary School. The playground was designed using drawings of "dream playgrounds" from the school children.

The new playground replaced one that was 30 years old and couldn't be used because it was in need of repair. It "gave playgrounds a bad name," if you know your Bon Jovi songs well enough.

The foundation also has helped construct affordable housing through community partnerships in Brooklyn, New York; Denver, Colorado; Detroit, Michigan; Louisiana and South Africa.

The foundation efforts were profiled recently on "NBC Nightly News," where Jon Bon Jovi explained how he uses his celebrity to break through bureaucracy when necessary.

The Soul Foundation's web site includes a place for volunteers to connect with projects in their communities, through Serve.gov and in San Antonio, Texas; and Detroit.

Bon Jovi hit the road in support of their new disc on Feb. 19 in Seattle, Washington, and wrap up on July 30 in Chicago, Illinois.

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