1,296,000 meals delivered by 30 local restaurants to Newark residents in need.
Newark Working Kitchens activates local restaurants in one of the cities hit hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic, to cook nutritious meals for low-income seniors and families and people without homes. NWK keeps the lights on at these vital small businesses with daily orders for hundreds of meals, keeping cooks, servers and delivery people employed.
Every dollar raised goes to buying meals to sustain our restaurants and community members most in need through the crisis.
“A program in Newark, New Jersey, that is serving up hope. … Newark Working Kitchens pays 25 restaurants here to keep their doors open, stoves on, employees paid, cooking for those who need food most.”
Watch CBS Evening News’ story on NWK.
We are Newark Working Kitchens.
9 Thai Cuisine • Andros Restaurant & Diner • Black Swan Espresso • Blueprint Café • Bulgogi Zip • Casa d’Paco • City Rub Smokehouse • Cornbread • Fresh Coast • The Green Chicpea • Harvest Table • Kilkenny Alehouse • King’s #1 Family Restaurant • La Cocina • La Tienda Tapas • Marcus B&P • McGovern’s Tavern • Mercato Tomato Pie + Novelty Burger • O’LaLa Empanadas • Panzz Seafood & Wings • Pita Square • Queen Pizza • Robert’s Pizza • Sigri Indian BBQ • Sihana Café • Uncle Willie’s Wings • Vonda’s Kitchen • The Walla
“My wrists are sore, my hands are chafed because my knife skills are improving again. So, that's sort of like the city, we're sharpening our knives again so that when this comes out, we're going to be able to dice anything. None of it would have been possible without the help, support, guidance, and initiative undertaken by Newark Working Kitchens.”
Kai Campbell, The Walla
Why NWK now?
A city in need
In late October 2020, Newark reinstituted business curfews after a surge in Covid-19 cases, with a test positivity rate of 11% citywide, 25% in the Ironbound district. As the public health and economic tolls mount, thousands of senior, low-income and disabled housing residents struggle to access healthy meals.
Read about how NWK restaurants need our support now more than ever.
A sustainable response
NWK keeps the lights on at our most cherished restaurants, keeping cooks, servers and delivery staff employed. It preserves Newark’s hard fought gains so city blocks aren’t hollowed out by empty storefronts.
A strong network
NWK identifies city residents most in need through City Hall, Newark Public Schools, community organizations and tenants associations in every ward - helping us reach more than 10,000 residents across 70 locations since launching in early April 2020.
“Small businesses are the backbone of Newark’s economy and we’re grateful for the resilience and ingenuity of Newark Working Kitchens (NWK) as it continues to raise funding to employ local Newarkers, help reopen our restaurants and take care of our neighbors during these trying times.”
— Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka
“Newark Working Kitchens has helped sustain important jobs and small businesses, while providing vital nutritional assistance to underserved communities. This effort has created a successful model to support the tremendous comeback our city is currently undertaking, and I hope to see this effort scaled in New Jersey and nationwide as a way to continue combatting this pandemic's health and economic devastation.”
— Senator Cory Booker
