Coronavirus News: Audible donates $1.5 million to Newark restaurants to feed elderly and poor

ByMichelle Charlesworth WABC logo

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

App company donates more than a million dollars to Newark restaurants

The app company, Audible, gave over a million dollars to Newark restaurants so they could help feed the community.

NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- The app company, Audible, gave over a million dollars to Newark restaurants so they could help feed the community.

To date 100,000 meals, at $10 per meal, has been churned out by 18 restaurants in Newark.

All of it has been funded by $1.5 million from Audible, the huge app company known for podcasts and audio books, to help feed the elderly and poor in Newark.

"Basically, Audible and World Central Kitchen came to our rescue, and we were back up and running by the next Wednesday," Robert's Pizzeria owner Josh Martin said.

Before that, Martin had to lay people off and business had to shut down. Now, Robert's Pizzeria, La Cucina, McGovern's Tavern and 15 other Newark restaurants are all making individual meals for people who are hungry.

McGovern's Irish Pub, owned by Mike Nagle, has been around since 1936.

"We're used to being this college bar, with like police, fire, lawyers, doctors and we're right by Rutgers Newark and NJIT," Nagle said. "Now we have a different purpose. It's making us come to work everyday"

Nagle says they cook baked chicken, rice, veggies, meatballs and eggplant.

"Audible actually sends one of their vans with a driver to the pick up the meals and they go to senior homes and low income housing," Martin said.

Nagle and Martin say their families are in the mix, including Martin's sister Ally, who is pregnant and working the books from home.

Nagle says because of Audible, they are able to hire back a lot of people.

"It's been the savior of pretty much our business," Nagle said.

It's a win all around.

CLICK HERE for more information or to make a donation to the Community Foundation of New Jersey.