SZA and Los Angeles-based Italian restaurant Jon and Vinny‘s have teamed up to provide 1,400 free meals for people struggling without SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits.
On Monday (November 10), SZA announced the partnership on Instagram to announce the partnership.
“Y’all know how much I love Jon and Vinny’s!! But it ain’t no fun if the homies can’t have none!!” SZA wrote on Instagram.
The kind gesture helps those whose November funding remains uncertain amid the ongoing government shutdown.
SZA’s own organization, NOT Charity, is behind the partnership.
Starting November 11 through November 18, Jon & Vinny’s Slauson Avenue location will distribute 100 dinners for 2 between 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The dinners are available to SNAP recipients who sign up by emailing notcharity@jonandvinnys.com. Up to four meals per family can be reserved.
“Last week @sza reached out to us with an idea and now, with her help, it’s a reality,” the restaurant wrote on social media. “Over the next 7 days we are partnering with her NOT Charity to provide 1,400 free meals for Los Angeles community members who receive SNAP. Please spread the word to those in need.”
SZA launched NOT Charity earlier this year, describing it as an organization “dedicated to nourishing underserved communities through holistic solutions.”
California was one of more than 22 other states that filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the “unlawful refusal to fund SNAP/CalFresh benefits” due to the government shutdown.
The future of SNAP benefits for approximately 5.5 million Californians remains uncertain amid the government shutdown, leaving many without resources. Some organizations in Southern California are calling on Newsom to backfill SNAP funding.
The shutdown, now stretching into its 42nd day, has left millions of Americans, including 600,000 Angelenos, struggling to afford food.