John Legend teams up with Bilt to help 50 college students pay rent

Legendary singer and songwriter John Legend is stepping in to help students who are having a hard time making ends meet cover their off-campus housing costs, according to AfroTech. Bilt and Scholarship America are partnering with the musician for the October Rent Day initiative, which will pay the rent for 50 students who are at risk of eviction. Students from Morehouse College, Central State University, Wilberforce University, and the University of Pennsylvania, Legend’s alma mater, will be selected for the program.

Three of the participating schools are historically Black colleges and universities. For Legend, the cause is deeply personal. After leaving Springfield, Ohio, to attend college, he worked at a church and took on a work-study job to help pay his rent while he was a student.

“I was hustling, and I was doing it so I could pay my rent,” Legend said, according to AfroTech. “I know what it feels like to be in that position where you’ve got to figure out how to do it yourself.” Bilt members will also be able to contribute to the effort. On Rent Day, they can donate “Bilt Points” to Scholarship America, and every donated point will go directly to the organization.

To celebrate the upcoming release of Legend’s studio album Muse, which drops Oct. 23, Bilt has also teamed up with the artist to offer members a chance to win money toward rent through Bilt’s Rent Free game show, receive a member-exclusive vinyl copy of Muse, and attend a private show with Legend in San Francisco on Oct. 21.

Even with this new partnership, Legend said education remains at the heart of the collaboration with Bilt. He shared that he received an excellent education in college that “set me up for life,” and he hopes the new Rent Assistance Program will help students stay in school while keeping up with rent payments. RELATED CONTENT: Common and John Legend Win Golden Globe for ‘Glory’