Bon Jovi serves free meals to unpaid US workers

American rock star Jon Bon Jovi’s restaurant has announced that will be serving free meals to federal employees who have been furloughed or working without pay during the ongoing partial government shutdown.

“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,” JBJ Soul Kitchen posted on Facebook.

The lunch will be served at the restaurant’s New Jersey outlet.

“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 a joint statement on Saturday. “This Monday, 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 neighbours.”

JBJ Soul Kitchen, a “community restaurant” lets patrons pay a suggested donation or volunteer at the restaurant to pay for meals. The restaurant has served more than 94,000 meals at its two locations, according to its website.

Roughly 800,000 federal employees have been furloughed since a quarter of the government was shut down on December 22.