Monthly Barbecues Beginning At JBJ Soul Kitchen In Toms River

TOMS RIVER, NJ — JBJ Soul Kitchen is launching monthly Community Barbecues in Toms River, with the first one set for Saturday, June 21.

The community barbecue events will include "a variety of delicious BBQ-style dishes, seasonal sides, and a relaxing and fun evening," the organization said in a news release.

The family-friendly barbecue event will be held at JBJ Soul Kitchen at 1769 Hooper Ave. in Silverton, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., the organization said.

Each of the four summer barbecue events has a theme. Saturday's is Nashville BBQ. On July 19, it will be a luau. The Aug. 16 event will mark the "Dog Days of Summer," and on Sept. 13 will be the End of Summer BBQ, the organization said. All four will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on their respective dates.

There are no tickets or reservations required, "just come hungry," the organizers said.

There will be live performances from Applaud Our Kids and the Brick School of Rock Performance Group at the four barbecues, the organization said.

The barbecue events will help "support JBJ Soul Kitchen’s mission to keep serving the community and fighting food insecurity," the organization said.

Since JBJ Soul Foundation opened its first pay-it-forward restaurant in Red Bank in October 2011, it has served more than 219,000 meals, with 41 percent to paying diners and 59 percent of those meals to people in need, it said.

Paying guests help support meals for those who cannot afford them, and those who cannot pay can volunteer at the restaurant, which helps connect those in need with community resources to help them acquire skills, find work and find stability.

In addition to the monthly summer barbecue events, the pop-up cafe continues to operate four days a week at the Ocean County Library, after it received an extension of its lease from the Ocean County Board of Commissioners.

It is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.