Though Jon Bon Jovi is mostly known for being a singer and songwriter, the 57 year-old is also a philanthropist who loves helping others. He recently showed this once again by opening two community restaurants with his wife Dorothea Hurley. Both of the eateries aim to tackle issues of food insecurity while allowing those with limited resources to enjoy a free meal with no judgment.
Bon Jovi and Hurley first opened the JBJ Soul Kitchen in Red Bank, New Jersey back in 2011 in the hopes of both feeding and empowering people. The restaurant has no prices on the menu, and diners can make a suggested donation of $20. Even those who can’t afford to make the donation are welcomed and allowed to eat there.
In addition, the restaurant offers customers a “Pay It Forward Program where each additional $20 donation provides meals for those who are unable to donate.”
In 2016, Bon Jovi and Hurley opened a second Soul Kitchen in Toms River in New Jersey.
“This location being even larger, we are going to have an even greater impact on the community of Toms River,” Bon Jovi said at the time. “Our mission has always been to affect positive change and address the issues of hunger and homelessness. We are expanding our mission with a network of partners and resources to meet the needs of the community of Toms River.”
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Bon Jovi has assured the public that the food at his restaurants is high quality.
“JBJ Soul Kitchen serves a 3-course meal based on American Regional cuisine, beginning with the option of a soup or salad,” the restaurant’s website states. “Each guest also has the choice of an entrée such as a fish, meat, or vegetarian selection. The meal is finished with a freshly made dessert. Our chefs prepare many of the dishes with natural, locally sourced ingredients from our garden or the JBJ Soul Kitchen Farm.”
This is not the only thing Bon Jovi is doing to help others. His Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation helps those in economic need, and he said the foundation’s mission is to help “one soul at a time.”
“I thought ‘how can we bring people together in an affordable, accessible way?'” Bon Jovi said, adding that he was inspired to help the homeless on a harsh Northeast winter night when saw a man sleeping on a grate in the dead of winter.
“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,” he said.
His foundation has built over 500 homes for those in need in ten different states.
“Most Americans live two paychecks away from problems, and I thought this is something we can do. And most importantly I didn’t need the scientists to find the cure,” Bon Jovi explained. He went on to say what was next for his two restaurants.
“Now the question is ‘do we want to open two or three or 10… or do we go really big?’ Well, we will definitely see growth,” he said. “The question is incremental. The key to our success is empowering the individual.”
It’s so refreshing to see a celebrity using his platform to do so much good! Find out more about this in the video below.
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