One of Jon Bon Jovi‘s JBJ Soul Kitchen restaurants has come under fire from Toms River, New Jersey Mayor Daniel Rodrick over a growing concern for the homeless population drawn to its school centric library location.
Earlier this year, a JBJ Soul Kitchen was installed in a former Dunkin franchise that was located inside a Toms River library branch, but according to Rodrick, the restaurant has become “a day shelter and soup kitchen” drawing a growing population of homeless to the area.
About the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Kitchen
Bon Jovi frontman Jon Bon Jovi’s name graces the community restaurant chain, which has branched out to offer meals for a suggested price of $12. For diners, who are unable to pay, there are volunteering options in return for the price of a meal. Additionally, diners may also choose to pay it forward for those who are not able to meet the price of a meal.
The musician and his wife Dorothea Bon Jovi have also operated a more permanent JBJ Soul Kitchen in Toms River, while the new branch is more of a pop-up with a temporary lease that runs through May.
Why the Toms River Mayor Is Upset Over the JBJ Soul Kitchen
Toms River Mayor Daniel Rodrick has voiced his concerns about the operation of the restaurant within the library branch and stated that county officials have done nothing to address the growing homeless population that has grown in the area since the restaurant’s opening.
In particular, he’s expressed his concern about the children attending the library and suggested that parents would be better off to take their kids to another branch of the library in Toms River while the problems with the homeless population persist near the JBJ Soul Kitchen location.
“They’ve completely ignored all of our complaints and concerns,” the mayor said about some of the commissioners to USA Today. “Mothers shouldn’t have to walk through large gangs of intoxicated and mentally ill men with their children to borrow a book.”
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In a statement released to Patch and other news outlets, the JBJ Soul Kitchen offered in response, “Through our JBJ Soul Kitchen, we connect people to resources and services. Whether they need employment, mental health support, or housing, we try to remove the barriers that are keeping them from thriving, not just surviving.”
What Other Officials Are Saying
Within the USA Today report, they also spoke with Ocean County Commissioner Jennifer Bacchione, who shared that she was not aware of the complaints about the restaurant and that those who’ve eaten there have referenced it being a lifeline.
Bacchione bristled against the characterization of the restaurant as “a soup kitchen,” stating that the establishment “does not give away food for free” and noting that customers “have to clean up and do something” if they’re not able to pay.
She added that commissioners have been in talks with the sheriff’s department to place officers at both the Toms River and Lakewood branches of the library.
“It’s a sad situation and we have to come up with a solution,” she said of those experiencing homelessness. “In the meantime, it’s a public library, and we are keeping the people safe.”
She added that the intent behind putting the JBJ Soul Kitchen in the library was not to “serve the homeless,” but rather to offer another food option in the downtown area for library and courthouse workers as well as for kids attending the nearby Toms River High School South.
With the lease coming due at the end of May, a decision on whether JBJ Soul Kitchen will remain housed in the library branch has not been made.
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Gallery Credit: Lauryn Schaffner
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