GRAMMY award-winning recording artist Steven Tyler opens center for abused girls alongside national family services provider
Janie’s House provides support to vulnerable young girls in the Atlanta Metro Area who are survivors of abuse and neglect. The center’s “scarf-cutting” and grand opening took place Dec. 6 at Youth Villages’ Inner Harbour campus in Douglasville, where guests included Tyler, community leaders, donors, Youth Villages’ staff and young women who are residents of the new center. Janie’s House has residential
Tyler has long had a desire to help with this issue, leading back to the 1980s when he was in a program for his personal recovery. There, he heard a story of a woman who had experienced incredibly painful and debilitating sexual abuse as a child and how those gruesome events put her on a path of suffering that eventually led to her abusing drugs to mask the pain.
The song “Janie’s Got a Gun,” released in 1989, told the story of a young girl who was abused by her father. Over the 26 years since that song was released, Tyler says he has often thought about what could have been done to prevent that kind of abuse. What kind of help could Janie have received that would have prevented her trauma? How often does sexual abuse like this happen in our country? What can we do about it? With Janie’s Fund, Steven is using his big voice to give a voice to the thousands of victims who haven’t had one.
In November 2015, Tyler’s dream came true with the creation of Janie’s Fund, in partnership with Youth Villages. The opening of Janie’s House is just one way this dynamic philanthropic initiative is helping girls overcome the trauma they’ve experienced through abuse and neglect.
About Steven Tyler
Steven Tyler is an award-winning singer, songwriter, philanthropist, author and actor. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and The Songwriters Hall of Fame, he has sold more than 150 million records, both as solo artist and as a member of the legendary rock band Aerosmith, and has won multiple Grammy Awards, American Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards, plus an Emmy Award and the ASCAP Founders Award. As the lead singer of Aerosmith, Tyler stands as one of the most iconic rock stars in history. During the band’s remarkable career, he has played in front of millions of people and influenced artists from the worlds of rock, hip hop, country music and beyond. He has performed for President Obama, appeared at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert and collaborated with everyone from Taylor Swift to the members of Led Zeppelin. Tyler’s debut solo album, 2016’s “We’re All Somebody from Somewhere,” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart and No. 1 on the iTunes Top Country Albums charts in both the U.S. and Canada to rave reviews, with the Boston Globe noting, “Tyler didn’t just parachute into Nashville for a visit, but walked around and breathed the air” and the Associated Press proclaiming, “Steven Tyler’s country album shines.” In November 2015, Tyler founded his philanthropic initiative Janie’s Fund (www.JaniesFund.org), in partnership with Youth Villages, to bring hope and healing to girls who have suffered the trauma of abuse and neglect. With the support of donors from more than 38 countries and many influential friends (Bono, Garth Brooks, Zac Brown, Miley Cyrus, Sir Elton John, Pink, Ryan Seacrest, Britney Spears, Howard Stern and Carrie Underwood), Janie’s Fund has raised more than $2.5 million, directly helping more than 525 girls and providing more than 66,000 days of therapeutic care. He is also deeply involved in the fight to protect the rights of established and emerging songwriters as a member of the GRAMMY Creators’ Alliance, and a tireless advocate for raising awareness of addiction issues and recovery solutions.
About Janie’s Fund
Janie’s Fund is a philanthropic initiative created by Steven Tyler in partnership with one of America’s most effective nonprofits, Youth Villages. The initiative provides hope and healing for many of our country’s most vulnerable girls who have survived the trauma of abuse and neglect. For more information, visit www.janiesfund.org.
About Youth Villages
Youth Villages is a private nonprofit organization that helps more than 25,000 of America’s most vulnerable children and families each year in 13 states. It is one of the largest private providers of children’s behavioral services nationwide. Youth Villages was identified by The White House as one of the nation’s most promising results-oriented nonprofit organizations. For more information about Youth Villages, visit www.youthvillages.org.
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