Jimmy Wayne Opens Doorway of Hope

Jimmy Wayne was in Phoenix, Ariz. last week to receive the National Dr. Richard H. Carmona Doorway of Hope Award from HomeBase Youth Services. The Arizona-based non-profit organization was founded in 1991 to address the needs of homeless and at-risk youth.

The award was presented to Wayne by its namesake. The former U.S. Surgeon General hailed the singer as "shining example of how a homeless youth can overcome adversity and walk through their own doors of hope."

Wayne, who spent much of his troubled youth in foster homes, was also homeless and living on streets for a brief time during his teen years.