Jon Bon People Article...

Jon Bon Jovi Talks New Restaurant and Parting Ways with Richie Sambora:  He Didn't Show up for Work Anymore

Video Interview with Jon and Dorothea
 
After decades of making music together, Richie Sambora left rock band Bon Jovi behind – and, along with it, longtime songwriting partner and bandmateJon Bon Jovi.

"I haven't seen him in over three years. He just didn't show up for work anymore," Bon Jovi, 54, told CBS This Morning while promoting the new second location of his New Jersey restaurant, JBJ Soul Kitchen. "And that's the truth of the matter."

Sambora left the band's tour in April 2013, telling Entertainment Tonight that he wanted to spend more time with his and Heather Locklear's daughter Ava, 18.

"My daughter looked at me and said, 'Dad, I need you.' She's getting ready to go to school. Currency of love and happiness outweighs the currency of money," Sambora explained last year.

Of the split, Bon Jovi told CBS, "Life goes on. You know, being in a rock band is not a life sentence... you have other things in your life that you care to do. But it's okay, because you share your art as long as you choose to share it."

"You know, you don't have to do this for a living – you choose to do it for a living," he said.

The "Livin' on a Prayer" singer, whose second album sans Sambora is due out this fall, opened up about launching another JBJ Soul Kitchen in New Jersey.

The restaurant encourages customers to "pay it forward" by buying other diners' meals, and is part of a bigger center, which includes a food pantry, food bank and teaching kitchen.

"When you come into this restaurant, there are no prices on our menu. So if you are in need, you participate," Bon Jovi said. "And that means bussing the table, washing a dish, working in our gardens. If you are here to just enjoy a meal and affect change directly by buying a Pay It Forward card, you are paying for your meal and for someone else's that are here in the restaurant or are going to come tomorrow, and you don't know the difference between who are in need and who are not in need."


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Q Note: Once again, CBS would NOT let me embed the video, so you'll have to click the link to see Jon and Dorothea discuss the newest Soul Kitchen...

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Jon Bon Bringing Everyone All Together...

JON BON JOVI ON HAND FOR B.E.A.T. CENTER OPENING IN TOMS RIVER

TOM RIVER, N.J. (WPVI) --

It was a celebration of new possibilities Tuesday in Toms River, New Jersey.

A group of dignitaries, including rocker Jon Bon Jovi, cut the ribbon on the brand new B.E.A.T. center in Toms River.

B.E.A.T. stands for "Bringing Everyone All Together." It's a new one-stop location that includes a food pantry, job training and other resources, along with the second of Bon Jovi's Soul Kitchen restaurants. That's where diners can get high-quality meals for a minimum $10 donation, or eat for free and volunteer their services to pay.

Jon Bon Jovi explains, "We are here to affect change directly. And in the Soul Kitchen or the B.E.A.T. center it's a microcosm of what we believe in - community. Bringing people together to help each other and not judging."

Ocean County is still recovering from super storm Sandy. Thousands are still out of their homes and financially unstable, and one in eight people struggle with hunger.

Pat Donaghue from The Peoples Pantry tells us, "These people have been suffering in silence and they're coming forward. These are solid people. These are blue collar middle class."

One of those in need is Christina Donahue, who says, "They were there in my time of need. Just so caring. Not just only did they provide food they provided comfort."

After having to move from place to place because businesses didn't want a food pantry next door, the B.E.A.T. center is a more permanent location where people can come for groceries, a meal and help.

Carlos Rodriguez of the FoodBank Monmouth and Ocean Counties says, "What we are trying to do is identify what's your underlying need and reason for needing emergency food. There's so many simple things that families, unfortunately, just don't know that these resources are available to them."

The B.E.A.T. center will connect clients to the services they need to get on their feet. It's happening with help from the Tepper Foundation and various donors.

Peter Unanue of Goya Foods says, "A lot of people were hit hard by Hurricane Sandy and are struggling so we are really happy to help out."

The B.E.A.T. center is located at 1769 Hooper Avenue and is accessible by public transportation.

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Q note:   There is a video if you click the source link.  I could NOT get it to embed in my post.  Sorry!

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