$1M Donation Will Battle Hunger In Newark Amid Coronavirus

NEWARK, NJ — Many Newark residents are struggling to put food on the table during the coronavirus crisis. Many local restaurant workers are out of a job because of the same.

But sometimes, two problems can add up to a solution.

On Friday, Newark-based company Audible announced that it’s donating $1 million to Chef José Andrés’ nonprofit World Central Kitchen (WCK). The funds will ultimately provide about 100,000 free, daily meals for residents who are financially struggling because of COVID-19.

The new effort, dubbed Newark Working Kitchens, will partner with Brick City restaurants and their staff, including award-winning chef Marcus Samuelsson, whose local eatery, Marcus B&P, will serve as the initial production and food distribution site.

“By working together, we can harness the full power of each of our abilities to combat food insecurity in our local community during this extraordinary time of need,” Samuelsson said.

Newark Working Kitchens (NWK) will also help provide an income for restaurants facing a big loss of business due to the virus. According to a company news release:

“Audible will seed the NWK initiative with a $1 million commitment, providing 100,000 meals at $10 each (paid directly to participating restaurants). We’re also launching a mentorship program with Newark Venture Partners and Invest Newark to provide restaurant owners and other small businesses free guidance on how best to navigate available federal, state and local funding in response to COVID-19.”

“Our goal is simple: to keep our hometown community fed and our fellow Newark business owners working,” Audible stated.

“We’re proud to work with World Central Kitchen and Marcus Samuelsson to make a difference together for our neighbors in a city hit harder than most by this crisis,” said Don Katz, Audible founder and executive chairman. “These direct investments will help sustain the flywheel of the food economy in Newark by supporting restaurants that our employees visit every day.”

People can make a donation to Newark Working Kitchens here (write “NWK” in the comment section).

• See related article: Newark Business Guide (What's Open, Closed In Coronavirus?)

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