New Jersey First Lady Mary Pat Christie announced today that U2 front man Bono will join the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund's Honorary Advisory Board. NBC Nightly News anchor and New Jersey native Brian Williams has signed today too.

Bono (Larry Busacca, Getty Images)
Bono (Larry Busacca, Getty Images)
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Bono and Williams join previously announced board members including Vice-Chair and former US Senator Bill Bradley, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Kelly Ripa, and Dr. Oz, among others. To date, the Fund has raised over $32 million from more than 22,000 donors world-wide.

Bono says, "New Jersey is always a highlight of any U2 tour. What's inspiring about the New Jersey relief effort are not the names on the Board, which I'm humbled to serve with, but the volunteers who have rallied all over the state, in fact all over the tri-state area. This is the America to keep faith with."

"Sandy took away just about every piece of my Jersey Shore childhood. From the tip of Sandy Hook to the Fun Town Pier in Seaside, South to Ortley and LBI and beyond, what isn't already gone has been re-shaped forever," explains Williams. "I could ride a wave before I could ride a bike, and the Jersey Shore is in my veins. As a former first responder in Middletown, I have strong feelings for those who have dropped everything to help others. 'Jersey Strong' isn't just a phrase; it's a way of life. It's a redundancy, actually. The rest of the country will see how strong we are, starting now. We will re-build. We will see you on the boardwalk in time for the first waves of summer."

Mrs. Christie says, "We are thrilled that Bono and Brian have lent their names to assist New Jersey families in rebuilding their lives and overcoming the most destructive storm in our state's history."

Super-storm Sandy devastated New Jersey and surrounding areas on October 29th. Four days later, Governor Chris Christie asked First Lady Mary Pat Christie to launch a non-profit relief fund. After consultations with disaster relief experts associated with similar recovery efforts following Hurricane Katrina, the Haiti earthquake and September 11th, the Fund focused on becoming a sustainable resource for the long-term recovery effort in the months and years ahead.

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