Jon Bon Jovi Concert, The Clubhouse, Support Two Nonprofits

In response to an exponential rise in the number of local families in need of assistance, Jon Bon Jovi’s foundation, JBJ Soul Kitchen, established a food bank at The Clubhouse in East Hampton last year to supply local food pantries, and following a benefit concert on Friday, two nonprofits will receive a $50,000 contribution from Clubhouse owners Scott and Holly Rubenstein.

The Meals on Wheels home meal delivery program and Project MOST will receive a $50,000 contribution following the event, which featured a performance by the legendary rocker.

The JBJ Soul Kitchen Food Bank was established at the Clubhouse in partnership with the Rubensteins last May, when many food pantries were seeing a 500 percent increase in the need for food. Food insecurity and hunger, which regularly spikes seasonally here due to seasonal unemployment, rose exponentially during the pandemic, posing severe challenges for food pantries that struggled to address the need.

During 18 weeks of food distribution, the JBJ Soul Kitchen Food Bank delivered over 447,225 pounds of nonperishable, healthy food, along with produce, dairy products, and handmade frozen meals, to eight area food pantries, including the Montauk Food Pantry, Springs Food Pantry, and East Hampton Food Pantry.

In Springs alone, the donations helped to feed more than 10,705 residents between May 17 and September — more than the total number served by the Springs pantry throughout all of 2019.

The East Hampton Town Board attended Friday’s event, at which COVID restrictions and safety protocols were strictly followed, including a requirement that the more than 100 attendees show proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID test.

Town Councilman David Lys, Councilwoman Sylvia Overby, and Deputy Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez joined Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc in presenting East Hampton Town proclamations to the Rubensteins and to the JBJ Soul Foundation for their crucial community contributions, and in honoring food pantry volunteers and frontline healthcare workers, including a number who have served at the town vaccination clinics organized by Mr. Van Scoyoc.

“We are blessed and truly fortunate to live in a community where individuals come together to help those in need,” Mr. Van Scoyoc said. “The Rubensteins and Jon Bon Jovi have been shining examples of this.”