Jovi helps out Detroit families

Updated 11.24 Wed Jul 23 2008
Keywords: charity, housing, poverty, house, Detroit, Philadelphia, Bon Jovi, Jon

Jon Bon Jovi is doing his bit for poor families in Detroit by building new homes in the area.

The rocker's Philadelphia Soul charity has teamed up with Habitat for Humanity create the affordable houses for five families in the city.

The rocker's Philadelphia Soul charity has teamed up with Habitat for Humanity create the affordable houses for five families in the city

He said: "I picked the idea of affordable housing and breaking the chains of poverty.

"One night I was looking out of a hotel window in Philadelphia, the birthplace of our nation, the place where our forefathers wrote the Declaration of Independence, and as I saw a man sleeping on the steps of city hall in the middle of the winter, I thought 'this isn't what they were thinking of at the time'."

Bon Jovi visited James Williams and his family during a tour of the Morningside neighbourhood, where the homes will be built.

The singer first teamed up with Habitat for Humanity in 2005 and helped build homes in the Philadelphia area.

He's built a reputation as a philanthropist, working with Project HOME, building a playground, and donating $1 million (£501,585) to Oprah Winfrey's Angel Network and Habitat for Humanity to build homes in Houma, Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina.

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