Toms River Mayor Dan Rodrick has been very vocal about his opposition to JBJ Soul Kitchen. This operating charitable restaurant is managed by the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation. The controversial new establishment has shaken the community. It’s an effort to get food to people who need it, and they do this largely through a co-created suggested donation model. Mayor Rodrick argues that the restaurant, located near a school in Toms River, is attracting an increasing number of unhoused individuals to the area.
JBJ Soul Kitchen model, with locations currently in Red Bank, Toms River, Newark and Jersey City. Our Toms River permanent location launched on Washington Street in February. It has gained national attention after getting near local schools. The restaurant’s unique approach asks diners to pay what they are able or choose to pay with no prices listed on the menu.
Rodrick describes the place as more of a “soup kitchen” than a restaurant. It’s bringing a wave of homelessness to Toms River in fact,” he alleges. He further claims that fewer than half of its customers even reside in the county seat.
“It is a soup kitchen that they put there for the homeless that they’re bussing in.” – Dan Rodrick
Again, the mayor’s comments show his deep concern about the use of community resources and effects of this restaurant on poorer, black residents in the area. He voiced frustration about what he sees as an imposition on Toms River, stating, “They’re not from Toms River and Toms River should not have to bear the brunt of homelessness for the entire county of Ocean, especially when not a single one of these folks are from Toms River.”
JBJ Soul Kitchen operates under the premise of inclusivity, providing meals to those who can afford to pay and encouraging them to “Pay it Forward” for those unable to do so. Despite the charitable intentions behind the restaurant, it has become embroiled in discussions surrounding its operation and potential legal challenges that could lead to its closure. The lease for the Toms River site runs through May 23, providing a timetable for possible solutions/resolutions.
This crisis has generated greater social and political discourse about homelessness and community reinvestment programs. This kind of tension is becoming more and more common as charitable intentions collide with the realities of local community dynamics. As negotiations drag on, both parties don’t seem to be budging from their opening stances.