Toms River, NJ — JBJ Soul Kitchen opened its pop-up location inside the Ocean County Library in February 2025, expanding access to nutritious meals and supportive services for the community. Following a meeting of the Ocean County Library Commission in 2026, it was determined that the pop-up location would officially close on April 30, 2026.
This initiative was launched at the invitation of the Ocean County Library to expand JBJ Soul Kitchen’s presence into the downtown area of Toms River, where the unhoused population has continued to grow. It was a pop-up, as it was a quick response to the invitation and the severity of the need. This expansion aligned with JBJ Soul Kitchen’s commitment to increasing outreach and support during Code Blue season. Code Blue alerts are issued when temperatures fall below freezing, creating life-threatening conditions for individuals without shelter and run from November through March.
The JBJ Soul Kitchen Pop-Up mission was to provide nutritious, healthy meals while fostering dignity, community, and hope. The Pop-Up followed the same model as all JBJ Soul Kitchen locations. This unique Pay It Forward restaurant is not a soup kitchen or a pay-what-you-want model; it allows guests, who are unable to pay, to enjoy a warm meal and learn about volunteering opportunities at JBJ Soul Kitchen. If you could donate, you are encouraged to make a suggested donation and Pay it Forward.
In response to this critical need, JBJ Soul Kitchen worked with its community partners to connect guests with essential resources, including housing assistance, substance use support, mental health services, and other critical needs.
The Pop-Up supported roughly 40 long-term unhoused individuals and provided consistent, focused care made possible through the ongoing support of dedicated community partners who engaged with guests during operating hours. Through these collaborations, the Pop-Up had distributed more than 1,350 hygiene kits and facilitated 276 referrals to service providers, resulting in 13 successful housing placements and 9 individuals securing employment.
The Pop-Up served more than 15,870 meals, with 79% of those meals going to guests in need. They also welcomed over 1,000 volunteers providing almost 4,000 hours of service. This included students from Toms River High School South Business Academy as part of a partnership created prior to the start of this school year.
“During our time in the space, it quickly became clear there was a strong need for access to healthy, nutritious meals, along with additional community resources,” said Assistant General Manager Rob Wood. “Because of that, we worked to keep the operation running as long as possible. We were grateful to continue our mission past the end of this year’s Code Blue season, and we thank everyone who came out to support us while we were able to serve.”
“I want to thank the community of downtown Toms River for embracing our Soul Kitchen model.” said Dorothea Bongiovi, Founder of JBJ Soul Kitchen. “The outpouring of encouragement and support has been incredibly humbling. I am also grateful for the opportunity to work with so many dedicated non-profits. Your commitment and tenacity coupled with compassion, are an inspiration. Together, we focused on building meaningful, lasting solutions rather than temporary fixes. And if, at the end of the day, we were able to treat our neighbors with a little more kindness, dignity, and respect, that in itself is powerful.”
As the Pop-Up closes, the need in the community remains. JBJ Soul Kitchen’s Toms River location on Hooper Avenue will continue to serve the community, providing nutritious meals, essential resources, and a place of dignity and connection for all who walk through its doors.
December 2025 – JBJ Soul Kitchen was selected for the third year as the beneficiary of the 107.1 The Boss Mistletoe Rock Radiothon. This all-day live broadcast raises awareness and donations in support of JBJ Soul Kitchen. 
