When did Jon Bon Jovi open JBJ soul kitchen? All we know as New Jersey mayor demands to shut down soup kitchen that feeds homeless

Jon Bon Jovi, the iconic rock star behind hits like Livin’ on a Prayer, is also the visionary behind one of New Jersey’s most giving community movements, the JBJ Soul Kitchen.

Opened in 2011 in Red Bank, New Jersey, this nonprofit restaurant features a “pay-what-you-can” model. The restaurant has since then opened at other locations in Newark, Jersey City, and more recently at the Ocean County Library in Toms River, New Jersey.

The JBJ Soul Kitchen is a part of the larger JBJ Soul Foundation, which was co-founded by Bon Jovi and Dorothea Hurley, his wife. Reminiscing the time when they first got the idea for the restaurant Bon Jovi said:

"And I thought, I know the issue – homelessness. Doesn’t matter if you’re black, white, young, old, Republican, Democrat. I don’t need a scientist to find the cure, and I can make a difference. It hit me like a lightning bolt."

According to the foundation, It’s about much more than providing a meal, it’s about giving dignity, community, and support to those in need of food and those experiencing homelessness. Patrons who cannot afford a meal are welcome to volunteer in exchange for some food, as diners who can pay are encouraged to pay it forward, covering the cost of a meal for others.

The opening of the new kitchen in Toms River, however, has become controversial. Toms River Mayor Daniel Rodrick publicly stated his opposition to the effort, accusing the restaurant of causing an increase in homelessness in the township.

He claims that nonprofits are attracting unhoused people from all over the state to Toms River and blames the county for making this migration possible.

"I definitely want it gone, and I want the county to stop dropping people off in Toms River," he said in a statement.

Pushback and response by Bon Jovi and Dorothea Hurley

Robert Arace, an Ocean County commissioner, countered Mayor Daniel Rodrick’s claims, stating that the county is not transporting people to Toms River and that there is no evidence of an increase in incidents tied to the restaurant.

According to Arace, the data doesn’t back the mayor’s accusations and the kitchen is only scheduled to operate at the library through May. Jon and Dorothea Bon Jovi have issued a joint statement in response to the accusations by defending their work and stating their foundation’s mission.

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"The JBJ Soul Foundation and JBJ Soul Kitchen are committed to ending homelessness through real solutions. We are not here to just move people around or force them into the shadows."

Bon Jovi's JBJ Soul Kitchen has served countless free meals over the years. They have also played a vital role during the COVID-19 pandemic, where they distributed food for frontline workers and non-profits, as well as pantries.

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