SZA’s NOT Charity Teams Up With Jon & Vinny’s to Distribute 1,400 Free Meals to L.A. SNAP Recipients

SZA‘s Not Charity has teamed up with the Los Angeles-based restaurant Jon & Vinny’s to provide 1,400 free meals for people who are struggling to put food on the table in the midst of the longest government shutdown in history as their SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits dry up.

“Yall know how much I love Jon and Vinny’s !! But it ain’t no fun if the Homies  can’t have none !!” SZA wrote in a joint post on Monday (Nov. 10) with the restaurant announcing the initiative.

“Last week @sza reached out to us with an idea and now, with her help, it’s a reality. Over the next 7 days we are partnering with her NOT Charity to provide 1400 free meals (100 dinners for 2 per day) for Los Angeles community members who receive SNAP,” the restaurant added. Each meal will be available from the restaurant’s 4400 W. Slauson Ave. location from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. between Tuesday and next Monday (Nov. 17).

SNAP recipients are encouraged to email notcharity@jonandvinnys.com to sign up for a meal; up to four per family.

The Trump administration returned to the Supreme Court on Monday in an effort to keep full payments from the SNAP federal food aid program frozen during the shutdown as the Associated Press reported that some of the 42 million families who depend on the assistance are struggling to put food on the table. While lower courts have ruled that the government has to keep full payments coming, the Trump administration is again asking the Supreme Court to keep them frozen for now, with the high court expected to rule on Tuesday.

In the meantime, some families are skipping meals or relying on local food pantries to stock their shelves as the administration argues that requiring full SNAP funding during the shutdown could have a negative impact on the negotiations in Congress aimed at ending the stoppage, which has now stretched to a record 42 days.

On Monday, the Senate passed legislation aimed at ending the shutdown, which must now go to the House for approval. Meanwhile, the impacts of the impasse continue to spread, from millions at risk of losing their government assistance and going hungry to massive air-traffic interruptions as winter creeps in just two weeks before the Thanksgiving holiday.

“Please spread the word to those in need. Thank you SZA for inspiring all of us to be there for our neighbors,” Jon & Vinny’s wrote.