Devils Care Foundation Donates $200K to Newark Working Kitchens

NEWARK, NJ – This month Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka announced that Newark Working Kitchens, a free meal delivery service for local residents most critically in need of food, has reached a milestone of over 200,000 meals in the first 12 weeks of the program.

In addition to providing meals to vulnerable and low-income Newark residents from participating local restaurants, the Newark Working Kitchens initiative has helped create and sustain more than 200 jobs during the pandemic. Meals are delivered to nearly 10,000 city residents in 40 locations.

“Newark Working Kitchens will be able to deliver tens of thousands of meals in the coming weeks while supporting Newark’s talented array of small business entrepreneurs heavily impacted by the events of 2020,” suggested Mayor Baraka. “Our local restaurants have been very hard hit, and funding NWK allows restaurant employees to return to work and cook for Newark residents in urgent need.”

New Jersey Devils managing partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer have pledged their support to the cause and have donated $200,000 to the Newark Working Kitchens initiative. Other charitable donations were made by Audible, PSEG, and TD Bank in a grant totaling a half million dollars.

“Newark Working Kitchens has proven out a model that can be deployed to many sectors of an economy unequally impacted by COVID-related shocks,” said Don Katz, Audible founder and executive chairman. “The commercial food economy in Newark is composed of a rich tapestry of small restaurants and food service companies that employ many people who need support as we face this historic crisis. Audible is proud to join Mayor Baraka, corporate investors and visionary philanthropists in supporting NWK and we look forward to welcoming many others to our team.”

Newark Working Kitchens is seeking additional donors to invest in the operations and has commenced a fund-raising campaign to deliver 1,000,000 meals while engaging small businesses beyond the current crisis while continuing to serve those with critical food needs. If you’d like to contribute to the cause, you may make a donation to Newark Working Kitchens.

The non-profit works closely with the City of Newark to determine where meal delivery is needed most and collaborates distribution with tenants associations and a growing list of community organizations including Ironbound Community Corporation, Bridges Outreach, Newark Emergency Services for Families, Newark Public Schools, University Hospital, Palm Street Block Association, Newark Homeless Coalition, NJCRI/Crossroads Drop-in Center, Tree House Cares, Willing Heart Community Care Center, Clinton Hill Community Action and the YMCA.