Steven Tyler, the frontman for the rock and roll group Aerosmith, recently took part in the opening of a second home for abused and neglected girls, this one in Memphis, Tennessee. He has also helped opened a previous location in Atlanta. It just goes to show that in addition to being a great singer, Tyler also has a heart of gold and has a special place there for abused and neglected girls.
A Mission to Help
It all started after he met the young victims of abuse and neglect at a treatment center. Soon after this encounter, Tyler decided he needed to do something to help these young people. So, he took it upon himself to start Janie’s Fund and set about making a place where the girls could recover in safety.
According to Tyler, “While I was there, all the girls I met had been abused either physically, mentally or verbally, or at least 90 percent of them all. So when I got out of there, I laid it all on Janie. I said, ‘what are you going to do?'”
Establishing Janie’s Fund
Janie’s fund was created by Tyler in conjunction with the group Youth Villages, a leader in the Memphis area in the development of mental and behavioral health in young children. The Youth Village organization has grown to help tens of thousands of children, young people, and their family members across 20 states on an annual basis.
So far, Janie’s Fund has raised over $4 million dollars for the cause, most of it going to help these young women and children to get the emotional and behavioral help they need. The location in Memphis can care for up to 14 girls at a time and anywhere between 26 and 60 girls annually. As a matter of fact, the home gives them a place to stay for as long as they need it.
Building Janie’s House
The locations are called Janie’s House after the band’s 1989 hit song “Janie’s Got a Gun,” which is about a young girl who turns to drugs following abuse by her father. In addition to funding, the 70-something singer also provided artwork for the facility, a former home operated by Youth Villages, which sits on 82-acres.
Signs of Abuse and Neglect in Children
In order to do something about child abuse, you should know the signs. Some signs of physical abuse in children include:
- Burns
- Bruises
- Bites
In addition to physical abuse, children can also be subjected to mental and emotional abuse, which are harder to identify. Some other signs which can signify abuse or neglect include:
- Sudden changes in behavior
- Failure to get treated for known medical conditions
- Develops a problem with learning
- Always in a heightened sense of awareness
If you know of someone who has been abused or neglected, or you are a victim yourself, contact The National Domestic Violence Hotline by phone at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), or at their website, https://www.thehotline.org/.
Check out the Janie’s Fund website and Facebook page for more on how you can help this great cause. In the meantime, check out this video that covered the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new home in Memphis.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
