Jimmy Wayne is committed to giving back to the community, especially when it comes to helping underprivileged kids. That's partly because he's been there himself.

"The family that took me in when I was 16 turned my life around. I just would feel guilty if I didn't help now that I can," Wayne says. "It's like, man if I don't give it back, it's gonna be taken from me."

The singer is doing a benefit in his hometown of Boiling Springs, N.C. on April 18 for the Cleveland Rutherford Kidney Association. One of the cool things about the concert is that kids who are in the custody of community service get to attend for free.

"We had over 1,000 kids last year," Wayne says proudly. "They get to hear my story and how I relate to them, and then they hear some music."

The singer also recently became involved in working with the T.J. Martell Foundation, which helps cancer, leukemia and AIDS research. He also supports HomeBase Youth Services in Phoenix, Arizona, where he does an annual benefit for the organization that helps homeless kids in that state.

"They take kids off street who are homeless and give them a home," explains Wayne, who knows what it's like living on the street. "Many of these kids are in gangs, and at first when they come to see me they're like, 'Who is this white guy?' But when I start talking to them and telling them I've lived on the street, I've seen things go down that you have seen, then they realize that I can relate."

Wayne's next charitable step is to go out on his own. "My ultimate dream is to open an orphanage in North Carolina and take in kids who are older, whose chances of getting adopted is slim," he explains. "No one wants to take in a 16 or 17 year old boy with long hair. They figure that this guy is not gonna change. But you know what? I did when I was 16. There is always hope for these kids."

2009 ACM Awards Red Carpet Photos

    Singer Kellie Pickler arrives at the 44th annual Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand on April 5, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    Jason Merritt, Getty Images

    Marisa Miller arrives at the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 5, 2009.

    Jae C. Hong, AP

    Singer Martina McBride arrives on the red carpet at the 44th annual Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand on April 5, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    Frazer Harrison/ACM2009, Getty Images for ACM

    Musician Taylor Swift arrives at the 44th annual Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand on April 5, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    Jason Merritt, Getty Images

    Singer LeAnn Rimes arrives on the red carpet at the 44th annual Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand on April 5, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    Kevin Winter/ACM2009, Getty Images for ACM

    Singers Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough arrive at the 44th annual Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand on April 5, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    Jason Merritt, Getty Images

    Musician John Rich arrives on the red carpet at the 44th annual Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand on April 5, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    Frazer Harrison/ACM2009, Getty Images for ACM

    Singers Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert arrive at the 44th annual Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand on April 5, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    Jason Merritt, Getty Images

    Actress Nicole Kidman and Musician Keith Urban arrive at the 44th annual Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand on April 5, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    Jason Merritt, Getty Image

    Singer Carrie Underwood arrives at the 44th annual Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand on April 5, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    Jason Merritt, Getty Images

soKe.flace('music-acm.award.carpet.2009', '476', '600'); var uid = new Date().getTime(); var flashProxy = new FlashProxy(uid, 'http://www.aolcdn.com/_media/modtools/kit_swfpublisher_javascriptflashgateway.swf'); var flashvars = {}; try { flashvars.lcId = uid; } catch (Exc) { }; try { flashvars.targetAds = 'music-acm.award.carpet.2009'; } catch (Exc) { }; try { flashvars.omniture_tracker = '0'; } catch (Exc) { }; try { flashvars.adrefresh_wrapper = '1'; } catch (Exc) { }; try { flashvars.appConfigURL = soKe.fv('http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=551576&pid=551575&uts=1239899001'); } catch (Exc) { }; if (typeof(screen_name) != 'undefined') try { flashvars.userName = screen_name; } catch (Exc) { }; var params = {}; try { params.wmode = 'opaque'; } catch (Exc) { }; try { params.menu = 'false'; } catch (Exc) { }; try { params.bgcolor = '#d2d2d2'; } catch (Exc) { }; try { params.quality = 'best'; } catch (Exc) { }; try { params.allowScriptAccess = 'always'; } catch (Exc) { }; try { params.allowFullScreen = 'true'; } catch (Exc) { }; var attributes = {}; try { attributes.id = 'outlet'; } catch (Exc) { }; top.exd_space.refresher.ads2Refresh(new Array( 'music-acm.award.carpet.2009', new Array('93243970','300','250','0','I','1') )); top.exd_space.refresher.iFrm2Refresh(new Array( 'music-acm.award.carpet.2009', new Array('Placement_ID', '1435671'), new Array('Domain_ID', '1395767') )); top.exd_space.refresher.mmx('music-acm.award.carpet.2009', 'http://www.aolcdn.com/_media/channels/ke_blank.html', ''); swfobject.embedSWF('http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf', 'music-acm.award.carpet.2009-swf', '476', '600', '9.0.115', 'http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/swfobject/expressinstall.swf', flashvars, params, attributes); top.exd_space.refresher.launcher( 'music-acm.award.carpet.2009',{ dynamicSlide:[''], size:['456t'], photoNumber:['0'], title:['2009 ACM Awards Red Carpet'], numimages:['340'], baseImageURL:['http://o.aolcdn.com/photo-hub/'], imageurl:['http://www.aolcdn.com/photos-music/taylor-swift-nicole-keith.jpg'], credit:['Jason Merritt, Getty Images'], source:[''], caption:['Keith Urban, Nicole Kidman, Taylor Swift, Kellie Pickler and more rocked the red carpet this year. See All ACM Fashions! >>'], dims:['http://o.aolcdn.com/dims/PGMC/5/411/271/70/'], showDisclaimerText:[''], disclaimerText:[''], CSS_Title:[''], CSS_Caption:[''], CSS_Disclaimer:[''], CSS_Container:[''], CSS_Border:[''], CSS_PhotoWell:[''], CSS_photoHolder:[''], CSS_Buttons:[''], CSS_BtnOver:[''], CSS_Scroll:[''], topMargin:['0,0,411,271,408,269,0,0'] } );

More From TheBoot