Jackie Robinson Foundation to Honor Dorothea and Jon Bon Jovi, Ariel Investments Co-Chief Executive Officer John W. Rogers Jr., and Kendra L. Gather '98 at 2020 ROBIE Awards Dinner

NEW YORK, Feb. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF) announced today the recipients of the 2020 ROBIE Awards to be presented at its annual Awards Dinner on Monday, March 2nd, at the New York Marriott Marquis. The event pays tribute to individuals who embody the humanitarian ideals of Jackie Robinson while raising funds for the Jackie Robinson Foundation.

For 47 years, JRF has provided generous four-year scholarships, year-round mentoring and leadership development opportunities to talented college students known as JRF Scholars. The opening of the Jackie Robinson Museum later this year will expand the Foundation's mission and will educate and inspire the public about the life and legacy of American hero Jackie Robinson.

Dorothea and her husband, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jon Bon Jovi, will receive the Foundation's ROBIE Humanitarian Award for their extraordinary efforts to break the cycle of poverty, hunger and homelessness through the JBJ Soul Foundation. John W. Rogers, Jr., Co-CEO of Ariel Investments, will receive the ROBIE Achievement in Industry Award for his pioneering achievements as the founder of Ariel Capital Management (now Ariel Investments, LLC), the largest minority-run mutual fund firm, and his commitment to expanding opportunities to those underrepresented in the corporate sector. Kendra Gaither will receive The Martin L. Edelman Prize bestowed each year upon a JRF alumnus who has exhibited professional distinction and exemplary service to society.

ABC News anchor T.J. Holmes will serve as host for the event while "Dancing with the Stars" music director Ray Chew and recording artist Sheila E. will headline entertainment for the evening.

"Each one of these honorees has impacted society not only through extraordinary professional accomplishments, but through a commitment to equal opportunity and contributions to underserved communities," said JRF president Della Britton Baeza. "We are proud to pay tribute to this group of influential people who honor the legacy of Jackie Robinson and serve as stellar role models for our Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholars and Extra Innings Fellows."

The ROBIE Awards Dinner has recognized many of the most celebrated names in business, politics, education, media, sports and the arts, including Henry L. "Hank" Aaron, Clive Davis, George Lucas, J.W. Marriott, Jr., Henry L. "Skip" Gates, Rita Moreno, Tyler Perry, Bishop Desmond Tutu, Jessye Norman, Stephen Ross, Robin Roberts, Arthur Ashe, Kenneth and Mamie Clark, Paul Tagliabue, Ruth J. Simmons, Robert F. Smith and Stevie Wonder.

2020 ROBIE Awards Dinner sponsors include Henry & Billye Aaron, Allen & Company, BNY Mellon, Martin Edelman, General Electric, Gregg Gonsalves, Arthur Hayes, Johnson & Johnson, Philip Knight, Major League Baseball, NBA, New Era Cap Company, Nike, Inc., Omnicom Group Inc., Joseph Perella, Praxair, Inc., Related Companies, Salamander Resort & Spa, Unilever, Ariel Investments, BMO, Cowen Inc., Ernst & Young, Goldman Sachs, Jose Rivera, Senator Investment Group LP, Shawn Smeallie, Jeffrey & Susan Sussman, The Coca-Cola Company, Turner Broadcasting System, WarnerMedia

The 2020 Honorees
Dorothea Bongiovi - ROBIE Humanitarian Award
Dorothea Bongiovi has long been committed to helping people in-need, she and her husband entertainer, Jon Bon Jovi have supported countless non-profit organizations over the years. From homelessness to poverty, hunger, women's issues, and healthcare Dorothea has worked in her community to make a positive impact.

In 2011, she and Jon opened the JBJ Soul Kitchen, a non-profit community restaurant that serves both in-need and paying customers. It is not a pay-what-you-can model, this unique Pay-it-Forward model allows access to healthy, fresh, locally sourced food in a dignified manner regardless of economic barriers. In-need patrons may volunteer their time as their donation for their meal and learn marketable job skills or about resources and services available to them. The paying customer is asked to pay for their own meal and then pay-it-forward by covering the cost of the non-paying customer. The mission of the Soul Kitchen is to treat all with dignity and respect while uniting communities and forming lasting relationships through healthy food. They opened a second restaurant in Toms River, NJ in 2016, and recently opened a JBJ Soul Kitchen on the campus of Rutgers University-Newark to address student food insecurity on college campuses.

Dorothea is a recipient of the NJ and National Jefferson Award for Volunteer Leadership.  She is also the recipient of a Silver Stevie Award that recognizes women in leadership roles. Dorothea is the mother of 4 children, Stephanie, Jesse, Jacob, and Romeo.

Jon Bon Jovi ? ROBIE Humanitarian Award
Self-reliance, optimism, and community are key concepts that define Jon Bon Jovi's music and charitable efforts. The front man for the Grammy Award-winning band Bon Jovi has not only written and performed countless rock anthems, he has utilized his spotlight and raised millions of dollars to aid the working poor, the homeless, and the hungry. After selling more than 130 million albums and performing in over 50 countries for more than 40 million fans, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in recognition of their longevity and impact on popular music for the past three decades. Jon is also a member of the songwriter's hall of fame.

Jon is also the Chairman of the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing about positive change and helping those in need "one SOUL at a time." The Foundation funds partnerships that address the issues of food and shelter. Since its inception in 2006, the JBJSF has provided over 700 units of affordable and supportive housing in 11 states. Adding to these efforts, is the recently opened Walter Reed veterans housing facility which opened in October 2019, giving homes to 77 previously homeless veterans along with a stable of support services on site. In October 2011, Jon along with his wife Dorothea, opened the first JBJ Soul Kitchen nonprofit community restaurant in Red Bank, NJ. There, they created a pay-it-forward model, that serves an in-need and paying customer. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, they opened a second location in Toms River, NJ. These community restaurants have since served over 100,000 meals. In January 2020, the JBJ Soul Foundation opened a first of its kind kitchen on the Newark campus of Rutgers University to serve college students challenged by food insecurity.

John W. Rogers Jr. ? ROBIE Achievement in Industry Award
John Rogers' passion for investing began at age 12 when his father began buying him stocks as Christmas and birthday gifts. His interest in equities grew at Princeton University where he majored in economics, and over the two-plus years he worked as a stockbroker for William Blair & Company, LLC. In 1983, John founded Ariel to focus on patient, value investing within small-and medium-sized companies. While our research capabilities have expanded across the globe, patience is still the disciplined approach that drives the firm today. Early in his career, John's investment acumen brought him to the forefront of media attention and culminated in him being selected as Co-Mutual Fund Manager of the Year by Sylvia Porter's Personal Finance magazine as well as an All-Star Mutual Fund Manager by USA TODAY.

John has been highlighted alongside legendary investors Warren Buffett, Sir John Templeton and Ben Graham in the distinguished book: The World's 99 Greatest Investors by Magnus Angenfelt. His professional accomplishments extend to the boardroom where he is a member of the board of directors of McDonald's, NIKE and The New York Times Company. John also serves as vice chair of the board of trustees of the University of Chicago. Additionally, he is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a director of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. In 2008, John was awarded Princeton University's highest honor, the Woodrow Wilson Award, presented each year to alumni whose careers embody a commitment to national service. Following the election of President Barack Obama, John served as co-chair for the Presidential Inaugural Committee 2009, and more recently, he joined the Barack Obama Foundation's Board of Directors. John received an AB in economics from Princeton University, where he was also captain of the varsity basketball team.

Kendra L. Gaither ? Martin L. Edelman Alumni Prize
Kendra L. Gaither joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Americas Department in 2015, bringing a wealth of solutions-oriented global public policy expertise to this role. In addition to assisting members with economic policy issues across the Western Hemisphere, she serves as the Executive Director for the Chamber's bilateral business councils for Colombia and Cuba. Gaither also directs the Chamber's rule of law coalition, which publishes a Global Business Rule of Law Dashboard to bring more attention to the issue from the private sector perspective. She joined the Chamber from Carnegie Mellon University, where she was a global initiatives adviser in the College of Engineering and executive director of the Center for International Policy and Innovation.

An alumna of the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship, Gaither began her career in international affairs at the U.S. Department of State. There she spent more than 10 years as a career diplomat and civil servant specialized in international economic and trade issues in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa. Her overseas Foreign Service assignments include postings at the U.S. embassies in Peru and Mexico. Domestically, she held numerous positions in the State Department's Legislative and African Affairs bureaus.

Gaither holds a B.S. in economics from North Carolina A&T State University, as well as an M.A. in international affairs and an M.B.A. in international business finance from The George Washington University. She is a member of the Association of Women in International Trade (WIIT) and a career mentor and volunteer with The Jackie Robinson Foundation.

About the Jackie Robinson Foundation
For 47 years, the Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF) has continued Robinson's commitment to equal opportunity by addressing the achievement gap in higher education and is poised to expand its rich legacy with the opening of the Jackie Robinson Museum in New York City in 2020.

Founded in 1973 by Rachel Robinson, JRF has advanced higher education for minority students by providing generous, four-year scholarships and comprehensive support services to highly motivated minority students attending colleges and universities throughout the country. JRF's efforts have led to a consistent 98% graduation rate among JRF Scholars. JRF has disbursed over $90 million in grants and direct program support to 1500 students who have attended over 260 different colleges and universities across the country. JRF alumni are leaders in their communities and across a broad range of professional fields ?and are true ambassadors of Jackie Robinson's legacy of service and humanitarianism.

Expanding its mission of education and the Robinson legacy, JRF is engaged in constructing the Jackie Robinson Museum in New York City. The Museum, which will include a robust online component, will chronicle Jackie Robinson's storied athletic career and his social impact across society through artifacts, state-of-the-art exhibits, media, and dynamic programming. This physical tribute to Jackie Robinson will serve as a destination for those seeking innovative, educational programming and a venue for vibrant dialogue on critical social issues.

To purchase tickets for the ROBIE Awards Dinner: https://www.jackierobinson.org/event/aad/.

Contacts:

Ivo Philbert, The Jackie Robinson Foundation ? 212-290-8600

Scott Miranda on behalf of the Jackie Robinson Foundation ? 914-806-6771

SOURCE Jackie Robinson Foundation