Obama’s Vounteer Program Gets Aid From Bon Jovi
Singer Jon Bon Jovi is hoping to rouse the crowds at his concerts into volunteering.
The rock star will promote President Barack Obama’s service initiative “United We Serve” in a video to run at 30 concert venues in the U.S. AmeriCorps members and volunteers from local nonprofits will also be on hand to talk with concertgoers about how to find or create community service jobs through the program’s Web site.
Obama doesn’t appear in the video and isn’t even mentioned, but Bon Jovi talks about the importance of lending a hand.
“We can tackle the tough challenges we face and build community through service and volunteering,” Bon Jovi says in the roughly two-minute video. “The reality is, we’re all in this together.”
The video shows pictures of people working on homes, helping children and painting, and directs people to the “United We Serve” Web site.
United We Serve, which Obama launched last year, promotes volunteer work on such issues as education, health, energy, the environment, and community development.
Bon Jovi said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press that he spoke with Obama during the presidential campaign about what the musician and actor could do to help bolster volunteerism. The video and PSA are a collaboration between Bon Jovi and the government-run Corporation for National and Community Service to urge people to get involved in “whatever moves you.”
“For me it’s affordable housing,” Bon Jovi said. “For you it may be something else. But all these little bits make for one greater sum of the parts. It’ll make for a better whole.”


about 4 months ago
Not only that, but Jon’s also visiting a number of homeless shelters and programs in between tour dates, in hopes of getting ideas and inspiration to shape his own work with the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation.
More info can be found here:
http://www.jonbonjovisoulfoundation.org/story/news/bon_jovis_new_tour_doubles_as_a_research_mission_ap