Jon Bon Jovi gives free meals to hurting federal workers

As the childish standoff continues and the government shutdown pushes on, well over a million federal workers are going without pay. About half have been furloughed and are not working at all. Even worse, the rest are considered “essential,” like air traffic controllers for example, and are ordered to work but without being paid.

Read More: Bon Jovi's Soul Kitchen rated #1 celebrity restaurant in U.S.

Federal workers are hurting.

My daughter begins her U.S. Coast Guard career in less than ten days, and if this drags on, she will be serving without pay. That’s because U. S. Coast Guard unlike the rest of the military, goes unpaid because it’s under the auspices of Homeland Security.

Even if there is back pay, the promise of back pay doesn’t feed kids or pay utility bills in the meantime.

JBJ Soul Kitchen

Here in New Jersey, Jon Bon Jovi is doing what he can to help. His JBJ Soul Kitchen has always operated on a pay-what-you-can basis. If you can’t, you may volunteer there to do a little bit of work to pay it forward and pay for your meal that way.

With the shutdown causing a lot of federal workers pain, they’ve announced that they’re offering three-course meals completely free to federal workers at their Toms River and Red Bank locations. Workers just need to present a valid federal identification.

The Soul Kitchen, where they say friendship is their daily special, is located at 207 Monmouth Street in Red Bank and 1769 Hooper Ave. in Toms River.

Bon Jovi

One of New Jersey's most famous entertainers has aligned with Democratic candidates, but I like that he never seems to get too political. When people are hurting, he'll put politics aside and has worked with Republican leaders like Chris Christie after the Superstorm Sandy disaster, for example. Good for him.