Founded in 2006, Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation is a 501 non-profit organization that focuses its efforts on the issues of hunger and homelessness in the United States. They work with non-profit organizations and community leaders to help establish programs and partnerships that provide the basic needs of food and shelter. In addition, they also look to add green elements into every project that they support including using green building materials and energy efficient appliances. While providing affordable housing to those in need, projects often selected by the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation include additional programs to assist the residents in getting back on the right path. To date, the Soul Foundation has assisted in providing funding for over 500 units of affordable housing and shelter for thousands of people who were formerly homeless or of low-income in locations.
History
The JBJ Soul Foundation officially launched on October 5, 2006 with the announcement made by Jon Bon Jovi at a press conference in North Philadelphia. At the same press conference, it was announced that the Soul Foundation would partner with Sister Mary Scullion and Project H.O.M.E. to rebuild and refurbish 15 homes right on that same block they were standing on.
Partnerships
The Foundation has partnered with numerous charity organizations since its inception, including different chapters of Habitat for Humanity, Sister Mary Scullion, Project H.O.M.E. in Philadelphia and in Atlanta, and the Tiger Woods Foundation to build homes and provide housing, healthcare, education, and food for those in need, including the homeless and victims of domestic violence.
Programs
JBJ Soul Kitchen
JBJ Soul Kitchen opened in Red Bank, New Jersey on October 19, 2011. The JBJ Soul Kitchen seeks to provide healthy, organic and locally grown food in a restaurant setting. They empower individuals by providing volunteer opportunities in exchange for a dining certificate for themselves and their family and by providing job training in the food industry. They allow their paying customers to effect change in their community by paying it forward to cover the cost of volunteering customers. They promise to treat all their customers with dignity and respect, while uniting communities and forming healthy and lasting relationships through food. As of the start of 2016, JBJ Soul Kitchen has served over 45,000 meals and reached its goal of having 51% of their diners paying and 49% of their diners in-need. In 2015, JBJ Soul Kitchen was voted Best Celebrity Owned Restaurant in 10Best Readers’ Choice Travel Award - Sponsored by USA TODAY. JBJ Soul Kitchen runs the Employment and Empowerment Team Program which connects a team of professionals with qualified volunteers to aid with resume writing, interview skills, job coaching, financial counseling and legal advice. In January 2015, JBJ Soul Kitchen sponsored Spoon Full of Hope, a non-profit community restaurant and outreach program of Gateway Church of Christ. The "JBJ Soul Kitchen Sponsors Spoon Full of Hope" pop-up location began serving meals in Union Beach at Union Hose Fire Co. #1. The JBJ Soul Foundation offered to help re-open Spoon Full of Hope after the program lost its funding in the summer of 2014. The community restaurant follows the JBJ Soul Kitchen's model as there are no prices on the menu and you could be seated with someone you may not know. It is not a "pay-what-you-can" model, instead, patrons can either pay a minimum donation or volunteer an hour of time to earn a dining certificate for a meal that will feed the volunteer and up to four family members. Over a 47-week program Spoon Full of Hope served 4,391 meals of which 2,692 were in-need meals. Soul Kitchen subsequently opened a branch in Tom's River, New Jersey and wiil open one at Rutgers-Newark in Newark in January 2020.
The B.E.A.T. Center
The Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties and The Peoples Pantry announced on April 14, 2015 the formation of The B.E.A.T. Center, a community hub where families and individuals in need can access food, job training and other resources that aim to end the cyclical cause of hunger in Ocean County, New Jersey. With initial philanthropic support from The David Tepper Charitable Foundation, The B.E.A.T. Center provides assistance and support services aimed to end hunger in Ocean County and houses a satellite location for The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, permanent home of The Peoples Pantry and second location of JBJ Soul Kitchen. Located in the Silverton section of Toms River, New Jersey and accessible by public transportation, The B.E.A.T. Center caters to the urgent needs of the community by connecting residents to resources such as SNAP, affordable healthcare and tax preparation services, as well as access to a community food pantry, meals for at-risk children and seniors, and culinary training program.
