Jon Bon Jovi restaurant offering free meals to furloughed federal workers
As the longest government shutdown in history hit the 29 day mark, Jon Bon Jovi told furloughed federal workers "I'll Be There for You" — by offering free meals at one of his New Jersey restaurants. "In line with our mission, Federal workers are encouraged to join us for a delicious meal and to learn about additional support and resources available in our community," the eatery owned by the famed musician and his wife, Dorothea, posted on Facebook Saturday.
The Red Bank, New Jersey, location of JBJ Soul Kitchen will provide its first meals to furloughed workers and their families for two hours midday Monday. The schedule of future meals at the location will be announced at a later date and be determined by "turnout, feedback and demand," a news release said.
The JBJ Soul Kitchen and The Murphy Family Foundation would like to announce that the Soul Kitchen in Red Bank, New...
Posted by JBJ Soul Kitchen on Saturday, January 19, 2019
"Since founding the Soul Kitchen, we wanted to ensure that anyone struggling with food insecurity had a place to go," Bon Jovi and his wife said in the release. "...We will be open for lunch as a way to create a place of support and resources for furloughed federal workers, many of whom are our friends and neighbors."
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and his wife Tammy's philanthropic organization, The Murphy Foundation, is partnering with the restaurant to provide the free meals.
The Bon Jovis have two eateries — both are non-profit "community" restaurants run by the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, according to the organization's website.
After opening the second one in 2016, in Tom's River, New Jersey, Bon Jovi told "CBS This Morning" those in need don't have to pay to eat there.
"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."
The partial government shutdown began Dec. 22 and doesn't appear to have an end in sight, as congressional Democrats and President Trump remain deadlocked over funding his demand for a border wall.