Jon Bon Jovi’s soup kitchen in Toms River, New Jersey, has started a serious debate over how best to handle homelessness. According to the town’s mayor, Daniel Rodrick, the growing number of homeless people in the area is being worsened by nonprofit initiatives like Bon Jovi’s JBJ Soul Kitchen.
Rodrick believes that while the intentions may be good, the results are creating a larger burden for the town. He claims the city is turning into a hotspot for homeless individuals from other places in New Jersey and even out of state, thanks to organizations that are bringing them in.
What is Jon Bon Jovi’s soup kitchen all about?
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JBJ Soul Kitchen is a nonprofit project led by Jon Bon Jovi and his wife, Dorothea. The pop-up restaurant officially began serving meals in Toms River on February 11, adding to its list of three other locations across New Jersey. The goal is to provide nutritious meals to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. Those who can afford to are encouraged to pay it forward while those who cannot volunteer in exchange for meals.
The community kitchen serves wraps, salads, and bowls from Tuesday to Friday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The foundation behind the kitchen has also been involved in building close to 1,000 units of affordable and supportive housing across the state.
Mayor Daniel Rodrick believes nonprofits are profiting from the homeless problem
Despite JBJ Soul Kitchen’s mission, Mayor Rodrick feels these programs are unintentionally making things worse. He says nonprofits working with the homeless tend to attract a lot of money and, in some cases, operate on large budgets while serving only a small number of people.
Without naming specific groups, Rodrick claims some of them generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations while handling just a handful of clients. He also suggested that people are being brought into Toms River from across New Jersey and beyond, creating a cycle that pushes the town toward needing larger shelters.