JonBon in DC

Jon Bon Jovi's got soul -- the kind that rocks a stadium and revitalizes the neighborhood around it.

The lead singer of Bon Jovi used his "celebrity equity" Monday morning to draw attention to the dire state of urban development for the annual World Habitat Day.

"I was staring out the window of the hotel room I was staying at [in Philadelphia] and saw a homeless man sleeping on the steps of city hall," Bon Jovi said. "I didn't want to just help him, I wanted to fix it."

In the past, Bon Jovi has associated his name and efforts with various charitable organizations. But five years ago, he said, he found a unique way to combine his passion for philanthropy and community service.

"So what did I do? I bought a football team," Bon Jovi gabbed.

The cornerstone for Bon Jovi's Soul Foundation was set through the arena football team, with the proceeds from games funneled into charitable organizations. Bon Jovi said he didn't want to name the team after a warrior or impressive animal; he chose the name "soul" because "everyone believes they have soul."

The Soul Foundation is a small nonprofit organization that initiates partnerships with other nonprofits, government agencies, philanthropists, financiers and mom-and-pop shops.

"Our work in Philadelphia may have started small, but we continued to think big and today the Soul Foundation is responsible for over 200 units of affordable housing," Bon Jovi said.

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