Food Bank of NYC to honor Bon Jovi

NEW YORK, March 9 (UPI) -- Food Bank for New York City Monday announced its plans to honor musician Jon Bon Jovi for his philanthropic efforts.

The organization, which provides 300,000 free meals a day to New Yorkers in need, said Bon Jovi will be recognized at the group's 6th annual Can-Do Awards Dinner April 21 at Abigail Kirsch's Pier 60 at Chelsea Piers on the Hudson River in Manhattan.

Co-chairing the dinner is chef/author Mario Batali and his wife Susan Cahn. The evening will include cocktails followed by dinner, awards, a live auction and yet-to-be announced musical performances.

"Self-reliance, optimism and community are key concepts Jon Bon Jovi refers to, not just in his music, but also when articulating his desire to aid Americans without affordable housing, job training, counseling and other such services," the organization said in a news release.

"Jon Bon Jovi has demonstrated an uncommon commitment to ending hunger. We applaud his passion, his compassion and his generosity of spirit," Dr. Lucy Cabrera, president and chief executive officer of the Food Bank for New York City, said in a statement. "These are dark days. Never in the history of the Food Bank have we seen so many New Yorkers struggling to put food on the table, a trend we anticipate will worsen in the coming year. We could not do what we do without the support of people like Jon who continuously say, 'I Can Do.'"