Page 17 - Arts Management Magazine Future Issue

AMM NON-PROFIT SPOTLIGHT

“Our mission has always been to affect positive change and address

the issues of hunger and homelessness.” Jon Bon Jovi.

Founded in 2006, the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation’s mission is the other 51% through donations. JBJ Soul Kitchen also invites
to “combat issues that force families and individuals into eco- celebrity guest chefs – including Tom Colicchio, Carla Hall,
nomic despair.” Much of this work has focused on poverty and Diane Hendricks, and Joe Leone – to prepare meals.
homelessness. The foundation’s first major initiative was to re-
build 15 row homes in Philadelphia, close to the arena where Located at the Toms River location of Soul Kitchen, also
the Philadelphia Soul AFL football team plays. More recently, foundation run, The B.E.A.T. Center (Bringing Everyone All
though, the foundation has expanded its efforts nationally. Together), is a “place where families and individuals can ac-
cess food, job training and
The foundation operates two Soul Kitchen Community resources to help end the
Restaurants, located in Red Bank and Toms River, New Jersey. cyclical causes of hunger in
The goal of the Jon Bon Jovi and his wife Dorothea’s volun- Ocean County.” Services at
teer-run Soul Kitchen is to address issues of food security, while this location include health-
encouraging community, where diners pay for their meal either care and free tax prepa-
by donation or volunteering. Unlike a standard soup kitchen, ration, a food distribution
diners of all socioeconomic backgrounds sit together at com- center, culinary training and
munal tables, as the restaurant serves both paying customers children’s after school pro-
and those in need. grams, among other com-
munity benefits.
Soul Kitchen preaches manifestos such as, All are Welcome at
Our Table and Happy are the Hands that Feed, which encourage
community involvement and building relationships with neigh- Right, Jon Bon Jovi and Michael Reiss
bors and strangers alike. Thus far they have served more than
95,000 meals. 49% of these are earned meals volunteering and Visit https://jbjsoulkitchen.org/ to learn more.

AMM NON-PROFIT SPOTLIGHT

Ne-Yo: The Compound Foundation’s Future CEO Academy

The Compound Foundation was founded by Shaffer “Ne-Yo” ensure educational growth such as obtaining internships, college
Smith and his business partner Reynell Hay in 2007. The pur- counseling, scholarship application assistance, “mini-MBA” style
pose of the foundation is to enhance the well-being of youth workshops and activities that increase community engagement.
growing up in foster care and group homes, and provide pro-
grams that encourage building healthy relationships, pursing ed- The long-term goal of The Compound Foundation’s FCA
ucational advancement and bringing dreams to fruition. demonstrates how providing the right tools to build our youth
can increase the percentage of foster youth who pursue higher
A major focus of the Compound Foundation is the Future CEO education, receive GEDs, and/or achieve their goals of self-suffi-
Academy (FCA), created to provide fundamental entrepreneurial ciency and stability.
skills to foster youth.
“The Compound Foundation, we
FCA uses a network of celebpreneurs (celebrity/high profile step in and make sure that these kids
entrepreneur), small-business owners, and entrepreneurial understand that where you come
leaders to develop, motivate, and teach those youth who would from and where you go don’t have to
otherwise not have the opportunity to learn these important have anything to do with each other.”
business and life skills.
Visit www.compoundfoundation.org
These entrepreneurial skills include basics such as intellectual to learn more.
property, market research, how to write a business plan, pre-
senting, and dressing for success. Resources are also provided to Right, Ne-Yo and Michael Reiss

www.ArtsManagementMagazine.com I Arts Management Magazine 17