The award recognizes the foundation’s ongoing efforts since 2006 to break cycles of hunger, poverty, and homelessness.

JBJ Soul Kitchen hosts an annual Chili Cookoff fundraiser each fall, where Bon Jovi and Dorothea Bongiovi often serve as unannounced judges.

The award honors the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, established in 2006, which expanded from affordable housing to food philanthropy through the JBJ Soul Kitchen nonprofit community restaurants in New Jersey, as part of a long-running effort to break cycles of hunger, poverty, and homelessness.

Each Soul Kitchen meal has a suggested donation, but those unable to pay can volunteer instead, and additional customer donations help cover food costs for those who cannot pay.

Beyond meals, the Soul Kitchen locations offer job training, resume support, employment assistance, access to local mental health providers, and housing resources to assist the community.

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The story is reported by Lakes Media Network and ABC Audio, noting the broader group of 2026 Impact Award winners.

The award announcement also mentions ongoing and related Bon Jovi activities, including a forthcoming music biopic featuring Jon Bon Jovi and a Forever Tour set to begin in July 2026.

Other 2026 Impact Award honorees include CHIRLA, Sen. Ben Ray Luján, ReFED, and the Southern Smoke Foundation; Us Without You was named Humanitarian of the Year.

Two New Jersey chefs, David Viana of Judy & Harry's in Asbury Park and Russ Cowan of Radin's Delicatessen in Cherry Hill, were semifinalists for the 2026 James Beard Foundation Awards but did not advance to the finals.

Earlier in the year, these two New Jersey chefs from Asbury Park and Cherry Hill were nominated for James Beard Awards.

The story notes that David Viana and Russ Cowan were semifinalists for the 2026 James Beard Foundation Awards but did not reach the finals.