Jon Bon Jovi tours 'devastated' New Jersey

"To see your hometown devastated like this, people I grew up with," said Jon Bon Jovi, who toured spots in his native New Jersey on Thursday. "My grammar school turned into a shelter. People's homes gone and them saying to me, we are now homeless..."

He added that it's important to help, that "people come together in this time." And that's why he's part of tonight's NBC telethon/concert.

Matt Lauer, who interviewed Bon Jovi this morning on Today, said the rocker was in London when he called him. "It took you about three seconds to say yes," Lauer said, "and you jumped on a plane and got back here."

"These are our people," said Bon Jovi, who issued a statement to AP urging everyone to donate to relief efforts.

"Once again, the eyes of the world are upon us as we wake to the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. Once again we will have hurdles to clear and challenges we will have to face. When patience is lost ... when it seems helpless ... when you are in need and you feel as if you're alone ... know you are not alone. We may not have electricity but we have power."