Jon Bon Jovi Thanks First Responders at Annual Event Celebrating Community

More than 580 pounds of food was collected and donated to Fulfill

Toms River, NJ – The 7^th Annual JBJ Soul Kitchen Chili Cook-Off highlighted eleven local first responder units including Fire, Police and EMT, and their chili, but the event was so much more – a celebration of community. The attendees donated more than 580 pounds of food for Fulfill’s People’s Pantry, totaling 386 meals, and Jon Bon Jovi was on hand to taste each entry and thank the first responders for their service.

The event was held at The B.E.A.T. (Bring Everyone All Together) Center in Toms River, which has been celebrating re-inviting the community back into the Center, after being forced to close to the public during the pandemic.

The B.E.A.T. Center represents a joint venture between JBJ Soul Kitchen, Fulfill and Fulfill’s People’s Pantry. Fulfill conducts a culinary training program and has a satellite warehouse at the Center. In addition, members of Fulfill’s Resource Connection Team and other community organizations are housed within the Resource Center to help connect people to food and needed services and programs throughout Ocean County designed to help end the cyclical causes of hunger.

“There are more than 59,000 food insecure residents in Ocean County, including 18,000 children,” said Triada Stampas, president and CEO of Fulfill. “We are proud to partner with the JBJ Soul Foundation at The B.E.A.T. Center to bring needed resources to the residents of Ocean County, including our People’s Pantry, JBJ Soul Kitchen and much more. We look forward to continuing to build these partnerships for Ocean County’s neighbors.”

Fulfill’s People’s Pantry, also housed at The B.E.A.T. Center is currently serving over 105 families a day, five days a week.

The B.E.AT. Center is open Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Anyone needing assistance may do so by calling 732-731-1400.

PHOTO ATTACHED.

Caption: Pictured, from left: Dorothea Bongiovi, Founder & Program Director, JBJ Soul Kitchen; Lauren Holman, Chair, Fulfill Board of Directors; Jon Bon Jovi, Board Chairman, JBJ Soul Foundation; and Triada Stampas, President and CEO, Fulfill.

About Fulfill Food Bank

Fulfill has been providing food for families at the Jersey Shore for more than thirty years. We supply over 1,000,000 meals per month by distributing food to nearly 300 feeding agencies in Monmouth and Ocean Counties, including soup kitchens, food pantries, and shelters, and by delivering food to families, children, seniors, veterans, and more.

Fulfill also offers a suite of programs to connect people to the resources they need to become self-sufficient. Our team assists with applications for SNAP, affordable health care, and Medicaid. They also help with affordable housing applications, budgeting and money management, utility expenses, and senior services. To learn more about our programs or how to get involved, visit www.fulfillnj.org.

About Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation/JBJ Soul Kitchen

Since 2006, the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation has worked to break the cycle of poverty, homelessness, and hunger in communities across America. Through grant funding of local and national partner projects and creating sustainable programs, the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation has helped provide funding for over 1,000 units of affordable housing and shelter in 11 states and Washington D.C. for thousands of individuals and families experiencing homelessness and financial instability including youth and veterans. For more information, please visit jbjsf.org.

The Foundation expanded its mission in 2011 to address issues of food insecurity and currently operates two JBJ Soul Kitchen community restaurants in Red Bank and Toms River, NJ, in addition to the new JBJ Soul Kitchen at Rutgers University-Newark. JBJ Soul Kitchen serves nutritious, culinary dishes using a “pay it forward” model where there are no prices on the menu, but instead, you are encouraged to make a suggested donation. If you are unable to donate, you are invited to join our community to learn about volunteer opportunities and resources. Since its inception, JBJ Soul Kitchen has served over 151,000 combined meals, reaching the goal of serving 53% of paying diners and 47% of diners’ in-need. JBJ Soul Kitchen of Red Bank and Toms River have been recognized by Tripadvisor as a 2022 Travelers’ Choice award winners, earning the top 10% of restaurants worldwide. The award celebrates businesses that have received great traveler reviews from diners around the globe on Tripadvisor over the last 12 months. For more information, please visit jbjsoulkitchen.org.