NJ Mayor Seeks to Close Jon Bon Jovi’s Restaurant That Helps the Homeless

Jon Bon Jovi’s efforts to fight hunger and homelessness have earned him praise for years — but not everyone is impressed. In Toms River, New Jersey, a new pop-up location of his nonprofit restaurant, JBJ Soul Kitchen, is at the center of growing controversy.

The Soul Kitchen’s Mission and Success

The rock icon and his wife, Dorothea, co-founded the JBJ Soul Foundation in 2006, with a mission to tackle systemic issues like food insecurity and homelessness. Their solution wasn’t just charitable donations — it was innovative action.

In 2011, they opened their first JBJ Soul Kitchen, a nonprofit community restaurant designed to welcome guests from all walks of life.

The model is simple yet impactful: customers can pay for their meals at a suggested rate (currently $12), and those who can’t afford it are encouraged to volunteer their time in exchange for a hot meal. Patrons are also invited to “pay it forward” by covering someone else’s meal.

With locations now established in Red Bank, Toms River, and inside both Rutgers University and New Jersey City University, the initiative has become a beacon of hope in communities across the state.

Most recently, in February, a temporary pop-up location was opened inside the Ocean County Library in Toms River — a move that sparked unexpected backlash from the town’s mayor, Daniel Rodrick.

Mayor Rodrick’s Concerns

Rodrick has voiced strong objections, alleging that the Soul Kitchen pop-up is drawing an influx of unhoused individuals not just from New Jersey, but from neighboring states as well.

“If they’re going to turn this into a homeless shelter, hell, cut everybody a check and give them a Barnes and Noble gift card,” he reportedly told NJ Advance Media.

The mayor didn’t mince words: “I definitely want it gone,” he said, expressing concerns about the library being an inappropriate location for the temporary eatery. “The issue was never Bon Jovi. It was [the] Ocean County Board of Commissioners who engaged with these nonprofits,” he added.

Rodrick also described the pop-up as “a real safety concern,” though his claims are being challenged by others in local leadership. Ocean County Commissioner Robert Arace responded firmly, saying, “We have data that they have not increased.

It is not a soup kitchen,” referring to Rodrick’s implication that the venue has spurred a rise in homelessness or safety incidents.

A Resounding Support from the Public

As of now, neither Rodrick nor the Ocean County Board of Commissioners have issued further public comments in response to media inquiries, including those from PEOPLE magazine.

Despite the friction with the mayor, the JBJ Soul Kitchen has long enjoyed support from celebrities and public figures. During the foundation’s 10th anniversary in 2016, former President Bill Clinton gave a heartfelt endorsement.

“I came here to add my voice of thanks to Jon and Dorothea, who house the homeless and feed the hungry. And remind us all that underneath our differences, we’re not so different after all,” he said. “If you have not eaten there, you ought to treat yourself.”

The restaurant’s impact is measurable. According to its official website, over 208,000 meals have been served to date — with 59% of them earned through volunteering and 41% paid with donations.

Bon Jovi himself has spoken openly about his motivation behind the initiative. In a 2020 interview with PEOPLE, he said, “If we could put a roof over someone’s head or put food in their belly, it’s quite simple: We don’t need a scientist to find the cure.”

The temporary JBJ Soul Kitchen pop-up inside the Ocean County Library is scheduled to close in May. Whether it will return — or expand elsewhere — remains to be seen.

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