SZA is giving back to her community in a major way, stepping up to help those affected by the recent disruptions to SNAP benefits caused by the government shutdown.
The Grammy-winning singer announced on social media that she’s joined forces with her favorite spot, Jon & Vinny’s Italian restaurant, to serve free meals to Los Angeles residents in need.
The “Saturn” artist revealed that the restaurant will be giving away “100 meals a day to those who have been affected by their SNAP benefits being only half distributed.” Through her NOT charity, SZA is helping to provide 1,400 free meals—“100 dinners for 2 per day”—over the next week. “No fun if the homies can’t have none,” she wrote in the post announcing the collaboration. Meals will be distributed at Jon & Vinny’s Slauson location for takeout between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., from November 11 through November 17. Families can receive up to four meals by emailing notcharity@jonandvinnys.com to sign up, with pickup times assigned by the team.
SZA’s initiative follows a wave of compassion from other celebrities stepping up amid the crisis. Tyler Perry recently donated nearly $1.4 million to organizations supporting families most affected by the SNAP funding pause. Speaking with People, Perry called the situation “heartbreaking,” explaining that “compassion is not political, it’s humanity, and we seem to be missing both right now.” He also highlighted how the loss of benefits could mean “extreme hunger” for many Americans and “a lack of access to formula” for newborns.
A source close to the filmmaker added that Perry’s generosity stems from personal experience: “Tyler knows firsthand what it feels like to be hungry and homeless. Though he has achieved so much, those feelings never leave you.”
