Toms River Mayor Daniel Rodrick has criticized county commissioners for permitting legendary singer Jon Bon Jovi's temporary pop-up JBJ Soul Kitchen at the Ocean County Library.
He alleged that it has turned into a "day shelter and soup kitchen," attracting the homeless to the vicinity of the library and adjacent to the township's parking structure.
"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.
Despite his repeated grievances, he claims that the county has remained inactive after meeting with county officials to seek a resolution, while the number of homeless individuals in the area has surged. He suggested that parents take their children to the Brick branch of the county library instead.
Meanwhile, Bon Jovi and his wife Dorothea, who oversee the charitable restaurant chain, have told The Post of their unwavering commitment to support the underprivileged, asserting that their establishment will persist at its current location through May.
"The JBJ Soul Foundation and JBJ Soul Kitchen are committed to ending homelessness through real solutions. 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," they declared in a statement on Friday.
The pop-up café, which commenced operations on Feb. 11, embodies the same mission as the three other JBJ Soul Kitchen locations in New Jersey - encouraging customers to pay it forward by covering the suggested $12 meal cost for those who can't afford it.
Those unable to pay can volunteer at the restaurant, which operates from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and in return, they receive sandwiches, wraps, bowls, and salads.
"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," the Bon Jovis expressed in their statement.
In response to Rodrick's allegations about funding, the power couple retorted: "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."
Despite Roderick's claim that the commissioners "completely ignored all of our complaints and concerns", County Commissioner Jennifer Bacchione, who also serves as liaison to Ocean County's Library Commission, stated that she has not received any complaints regarding issues outside or inside the library.
She explained that unhoused individuals flock to downtown Toms River partly because of the social service agencies or nonprofits there to help the homeless. The bus terminal on Highland Parkway, a mere 10-minute stroll from downtown, is a key access point for many.
"We do have the bus depot. That is how a lot of people are coming in," Bacchione pointed out. She clarified that the Soul Kitchen isn't your typical "soup kitchen," emphasizing that they "do not give away food for free."
