Rich Fury/Getty Images for Janie’s FundAerosmith frontman Steven Tyler was in the Memphis, Tennessee, suburb of Bartlett on Monday to help open a new Janie’s House residence. It’s the second of two facilities that operate in conjunction with the Janie’s Fund charity Tyler co-founded, which helps young female victims of physical and sexual abuse.
LocalMemphis.com reports that instead of a traditional ribbon-cutting, Tyler took part in a “scarf-cutting” ceremony — obviously inspired by the singer’s famous onstage accessory — to mark the opening of the facility. The singer donated $500,000 to renovate the home.
The house can accommodate up to 30 residents annually, and will provide 24-hour medical care and therapeutic support to the girls and young women who stay there. The residence in Bartlett is the second Janie’s House facility; the first opened at a Youth Villages campus near Atlanta in 2017.
Speaking to a small crowd gathered for the ceremony, Tyler said, “This does my heart and my soul good,” adding, “I’m gonna bring this Janie’s Fund with me wherever I go. It’s like a dream come true.”
The charity is named after Aerosmith’s song “Janie’s Got a Gun,” about a girl who shoots her abuser.
Janie’s Fund has raised about $4 million to date. As previously reported, Aerosmith will be performing at Steven’s second annual Grammy-Viewing Party to benefit Janie’s Fund this Sunday, February 10. The event will take place at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, and will be hosted by comic actress Jane Lynch.
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