The mayor of Toms River, New Jersey, has raised concerns that Jon Bon Jovi's JBJ Soul Kitchen could be drawing homeless people to the area.
Mayor Daniel Rodrick stated that the soup kitchen's attraction for people down and out could disrupt the community, according to the New York Post. He further claimed that certain organizations are being paid to bring individuals into the area, accusing them of prioritizing financial gain over a genuine desire to help.
"These people are being dropped by in our community by agencies pretending to be homeless advocates who get paid by the head to import homeless people into our town from all over the state and the East Coast," Rodrick said, according to the Post. "These agencies are making millions of dollars importing homeless. Their plan is not about compassion; it's about people wanting to profit off the homeless issue."
JBJ Soul Kitchen opened its doors on Feb. 11, offering a unique concept where diners can pay for meals for future guests, with a suggested donation of $12. Through this pay-it-forward system, those unable to afford meals are able to receive food at no cost.
The cafe operates from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, with multiple locations across the state. Bon Jovi and his wife, Dorothea, who run the nonprofit restaurant chain, assured the Post that the Toms River location will remain open and that they would continue their work for the community.
"The JBJ Soul Foundation and JBJ Soul Kitchen are committed to ending homelessness through real solutions," the couple said in a statement. "We are not here to just move people around or force them into the shadows. Our Foundation has built nearly a thousand units of affordable and supportive housing."
The couple also challenged Rodrick's accusations that organizations were profiting by bringing homeless individuals into his town.
"We are unsure where the mayor thinks millions of dollars are trading hands, but we are completely unaware of any such programs and receive no such funding," they said. "We invite anyone to the BEAT Center in Toms River or to the JBJ Soul Kitchen Pop-Up to see what we are doing to end homelessness and hunger in our community."
Rodrick claimed he received several complaints regarding a growing presence of homeless people near the municipal parking garage and local library.
"They've completely ignored all of our complaints and concerns," Rodrick said regarding county officials. "Mothers shouldn't have to walk through large gangs of intoxicated and mentally ill men with their children to borrow a book."
In addition to providing meals, Bon Jovi has spearheaded a campaign to provide hundreds of affordable homes to those in need across several states through the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation. The rocker discussed the initiative in a 2019 interview with CNN.
"I thought, 'How can we bring people together in an affordable, accessible way?'" he said at the time.
"One night I was in a hotel room looking down on city hall in Philly, and I saw a man sleeping on a grate in the dead of winter," he recalled.
"Right there it all crystallized for me. It didn't matter if you were young, old, Black, or white, Republican or Democrat. … This was an issue that could affect anyone."
Bon Jovi pointed out that most Americans "live two paychecks away from problems ... and I thought this is something we can do."
"And most importantly," he added, "I didn't need the scientists to find the cure."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.