What to Know
- New Jersey's own rock legend, Jon Bon Jovi, was present Wednesday morning for the opening of his new JBJ Soul Kitchen restaurant at Rutgers University-Newark to make sure students struggling with food security don't go hungry
- This marks the first time his non-profit restaurant chain will be located on a college campus
- The JBJ Soul Kitchen in Red Bank and the one in Toms River have provided over 100,000 meals over the past decade
New Jersey's own rock legend, Jon Bon Jovi, was present Wednesday morning for the opening of his new JBJ Soul Kitchen restaurant at Rutgers University-Newark to make sure students struggling with food security don't go hungry.
This marks the first time his non-profit restaurant chain will be located on a college campus.
Bon Jovi, along with his wife, Dorothea, who he lauded as being responsible for making JBJ Soul Kitchen restaurants a reality, as well as Gov. Phil Murphy were on hand to open the latest location of the non-profit.
"Recognizing that food insecurity is a critical issue facing many college students, and one that hits home right here at Rutgers, when Gourmet Dining came to us over a year ago with the idea to open a Soul Kitchen, we jumped at the chance to make an impact," Dorothea said.
According to JBJ Soul Kitchen, one in three students attending a four-year college struggle with obtaining consistent food. At Rutgers University – Newark, more than 50 percent of students have exceptional financial need and the campus community rallies to find unique ways to remove food insecurity as a hurdle.
"Students have enough to worry about. Worrying about where their next meal will come from should not be on the list," Dorothea said.
Murphy shared similar sentiments.
"We have a wealth of talent in this state -- there is no question about that. A fact which makes itself evident through the tremendous achievements of our Rutgers University students," Murphy said. "But many of these same talented, hard-working students are struggling to make ends meet and that means they may be going hungry."
The restaurant offers diners three-course meals and the option of paying for their meals with money or through volunteer work at the restaurant or elsewhere on campus. Students and faculty alike can “pay it forward” by making a minimum donation of $12 and swiping an extra meal for non-paying diners.
For diners who cannot pay, Dorothea assures "dignity, respect are always on the menu regardless of socioeconomic status."
The JBJ Soul Kitchen in Red Bank and the one in Toms River have provided over 100,000 meals over the past decade.
