The Janet & Lew Klein award is officially known as the Janet & Lew Klein "Making a Difference" award. It is given to either a person or an organization that has truly helped "Make a Difference" in the world.

2019 Award Recipient: The Bus Stops Here Foundation - Jerome Bettis

Jerome Bettis and The Bus Stops Here Foundation

Who We Are:
About the Foundation:
The Jerome Bettis Bus Stops Here Foundation was created in 1997 by Pro Football Hall of Fame Running Back Jerome Bettis to provide opportunities for inner-city youth to succeed and become productive individuals in today’s society. Jerome Bettis wants to lead by example and give back to societies and communities, which enabled him to achieve the level of success he has acquired. He strongly believes that in addition to his parents and extended family, a multitude of individuals and programs assisted in shaping his life. Now, it is his turn to impact the lives of our youth.

Mission: The Jerome Bettis “Bus Stops Here” Foundation is dedicated to improving the overall quality of life for troubled and underprivileged inner-city youth. We accomplish this by providing financial resources, educational and recreational programs and mentoring that will assist youth in learning to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy choices.

Vision: Our vision is to provide a safe and supportive environment for youth where they can grow and develop as thoughtful and caring citizens and possess the necessary skills to succeed in the 21st century


About Jerome Bettis:

“Right Here Right Now, I am going to be a man who will create change.”- Jerome Bettis

Pro Football Hall of Famer and Super Bowl Champion, Jerome Bettis is one of the best all-time running backs in the NFL. “The Bus” finished his NFL career in January 2006 after 13 seasons, retiring immediately following the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 21-10 win over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL in his hometown of Detroit. Bettis ranks Sixth on the NFL’s all-time rushing list with 13,662 yards and is one of six players in NFL history to rush for 13,000 yards. He is one of only eight players in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards for eight or more seasons. He ranks third in NFL history with 3,369 rushing attempts. Bettis was selected to the Pro Bowl six times, including his rookie season. Bettis finished his college career at Notre Dame averaging 5.7 yards per carry and was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams 10th overall in 1993. He was named NFL Co-Rookie of the Year and also earned Sporting News Rookie of the Year and Rams MVP honors. Bettis followed the team in their move to St. Louis in 1995 before being traded to the Steelers prior to the 1996 season, where he spent the remaining 10 seasons of his illustrious career. Currently Jerome serves as a Studio Analyst for ESPN on all their main shows Sports Center and NFL Live. He is also one of the most sought after corporate spokesmen for some of the largest Fortune 500 companies in this country.

Past Winners