A pop-up restaurant founded by rock star Jon Bon Jovi has ignited a political and community firestorm in Toms River, New Jersey, with mayor Daniel Rodrick claiming the eatery is attracting large numbers of homeless individuals to the town's public library and creating a public safety issue.
Opened in February inside the Ocean County Library ’s Toms River branch, the JBJ Soul Kitchen serves pay-what-you-can meals , offering the option to “pay it forward” or volunteer in exchange for food. The initiative, part of Bon Jovi and wife Dorothea's non-profit JBJ Soul Foundation, aims to provide dignity and access to meals while connecting patrons to resources for housing, mental health and employment support.
Rodrick, however, has repeatedly accused the community kitchen of transforming the library into a “day shelter and soup kitchen,” claiming it draws unhoused people from across New Jersey and beyond, leading to increased emergency calls and deteriorating conditions for families.
“Mothers shouldn't have to walk through large gangs of intoxicated and mentally ill men with their children to borrow a book,” USA Today quoted him.
The mayor added that the library is no place for a soup kitchen, particularly being located close to Toms River High School South. As per Fox News Digital, he blamed both the JBJ Soul Kitchen and other nonprofits for “bussing in” unhoused individuals and straining local resources.
Despite the criticism, Ocean County Commissioner Jennifer Bacchione defended the Soul Kitchen, saying it is not a soup kitchen and does not provide free food without effort from patrons. “The pop-up does not give away food for free,” Bacchione was quoted by USA Today, adding that customers are expected to contribute by cleaning or volunteering.
She said the primary purpose of the pop-up was to serve courthouse employees, library staff, students and local workers, not to attract homeless populations.
Bon Jovi and his wife Dorothea rejected the notion that the Soul Kitchen exploits homelessness for profit, saying in a statement to the New York Post, “We receive no such funding,” and invited people to visit the BEAT Center in Toms River or the library pop-up to witness their work. “We are not here to just move people around or force them into the shadows,” they added.
Rodrick, who has yet to speak directly to the Bon Jovi foundation, claimed the venture "ran roughshod right over the municipality” and is weighing legal action against other nonprofits he says have created a “public nuisance” by overburdening the town with people from as far away as North Carolina and Philadelphia, reported NBC News.
However, he clarified his legal team is not targeting the Soul Kitchen itself.
The Soul Kitchen pop-up is scheduled to close on May 23 when its lease expires. Commissioners have not yet decided whether to extend the partnership.
In the meantime, the debate over homelessness and public safety continues to divide the town. While some residents echo Rodrick’s concerns, others, including patrons of the restaurant, say the Soul Kitchen has been a vital resource in tough times. As per NBC News, the nonprofit maintains it is committed to ending homelessness “through real solutions” and has already helped build nearly a thousand units of affordable housing across the state.
Opened in February inside the Ocean County Library ’s Toms River branch, the JBJ Soul Kitchen serves pay-what-you-can meals , offering the option to “pay it forward” or volunteer in exchange for food. The initiative, part of Bon Jovi and wife Dorothea's non-profit JBJ Soul Foundation, aims to provide dignity and access to meals while connecting patrons to resources for housing, mental health and employment support.
Rodrick, however, has repeatedly accused the community kitchen of transforming the library into a “day shelter and soup kitchen,” claiming it draws unhoused people from across New Jersey and beyond, leading to increased emergency calls and deteriorating conditions for families.
“Mothers shouldn't have to walk through large gangs of intoxicated and mentally ill men with their children to borrow a book,” USA Today quoted him.
The mayor added that the library is no place for a soup kitchen, particularly being located close to Toms River High School South. As per Fox News Digital, he blamed both the JBJ Soul Kitchen and other nonprofits for “bussing in” unhoused individuals and straining local resources.
Despite the criticism, Ocean County Commissioner Jennifer Bacchione defended the Soul Kitchen, saying it is not a soup kitchen and does not provide free food without effort from patrons. “The pop-up does not give away food for free,” Bacchione was quoted by USA Today, adding that customers are expected to contribute by cleaning or volunteering.
She said the primary purpose of the pop-up was to serve courthouse employees, library staff, students and local workers, not to attract homeless populations.
Bon Jovi and his wife Dorothea rejected the notion that the Soul Kitchen exploits homelessness for profit, saying in a statement to the New York Post, “We receive no such funding,” and invited people to visit the BEAT Center in Toms River or the library pop-up to witness their work. “We are not here to just move people around or force them into the shadows,” they added.
Rodrick, who has yet to speak directly to the Bon Jovi foundation, claimed the venture "ran roughshod right over the municipality” and is weighing legal action against other nonprofits he says have created a “public nuisance” by overburdening the town with people from as far away as North Carolina and Philadelphia, reported NBC News.
However, he clarified his legal team is not targeting the Soul Kitchen itself.
The Soul Kitchen pop-up is scheduled to close on May 23 when its lease expires. Commissioners have not yet decided whether to extend the partnership.
In the meantime, the debate over homelessness and public safety continues to divide the town. While some residents echo Rodrick’s concerns, others, including patrons of the restaurant, say the Soul Kitchen has been a vital resource in tough times. As per NBC News, the nonprofit maintains it is committed to ending homelessness “through real solutions” and has already helped build nearly a thousand units of affordable housing across the state.
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