Jon Bon Jovi's Food Bank Restaurant Is Big Hit In New Jersey

Rocker Jon Bon Jovi's charity restaurant in his native New Jersey has become an instant hit as those hit hard by the recession dine out to help each other through tough times. 

The singer's Soul Kitchen initiative was inspired by a news item Bon Jovi saw on TV about how dining out gave struggling families a real lift. 

And the rock star decided to set up a "food bank" linked to a New Jersey soup kitchen, where families could eat for free in return for volunteer work. 

He explains, "You come and there's no prices on the menu, so the dignity of a family having this wonderful experience together (is restored)... and if you can't pay, you volunteer... either in the food pantry or in the kitchen or prepping. 

"And if you can pay, you wanna see effective change, put a $20 in the envelope because you've just paid for the meal for the family next to you." 

And he insists he's no absentee boss - he, his wife, daughter and father all help out at The Soul Kitchen. 

He adds, "If you ever wanna come and see me washing dishes, I'm really good at it."

Jon Bon Jovi Photos

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Ilya Kovalchuk: Healthy scratch for the New Jersey Devils

Before their home game against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night, Ilya Kovalchuk(notes) wasn't out for warm-ups for the New Jersey Devils. Then he wasn't on the bench for the New Jersey Devils. Then the team sent the tweet heard ‘round the hockey world:

Kovalchuk is a healthy scratch.

Tom Gulitti of the Bergen Record noticed Kovalchuk "working on his game sticks this morning in the locker room after the skate," seemingly with the intention of playing.

From Gulitti and Fire & Ice:

Left wing Ilya Kovalchuk is not in the Devils' lineup. A team spokesperson said Kovalchuk is a healthy scratch. Rookie left wing Alexander Vasyunov(notes) was called up late this afternoon to take his place in the lineup. The team didn't announce Vasyunov's call-up until about 6:10 p.m.

Kovalchuk participated in the optional morning skate today and in Friday's practice. He was working on his game sticks this morning outside the locker room after the skate. This is the first game he has missed with the Devils since joining them in a Feb. 4 trade with Atlanta.

Kovalchuk entered tonight tied for the team lead with five points including two goals, skating to a minus-3. Hewas dropped from the Devils' top line with Travis Zajac(notes) and Zach Parise(notes) before the Devils' last game against the Montreal Canadiens, which was a 3-0 win that saw Parise, Zajac and Dainius Zubrus(notes) combine for the first goal and Kovalchuk fail to tally a point on one shot.

Kovalchuk hasn't played poorly at all, and the speed with which this decision came down might lead one to believe it could be something besides his on-ice play that was the catalyst for this. 

More on this as it becomes available. And with that, we turn the mic over to PD's Sean Leahy: "Devils are just trying keep Kovy as fresh as possible for the remaining 15 years. It's a marathon, not a sprint ya know?"

UPDATE: Devils head coach John MacLean made it clear after the game that it was his decision on scratching Kovalchuk.

From Gulitti:

“That’s between him and I,” MacLean said.“That was my decision.”

“I take responsibility for all my decisions that I make. That’s including that decision and including responsibility for games.” “It was my decision. I made it. He knows. I spoke to him and that’s where it’s going to stay.”

Related: Travis Zajac, Zach Parise, Ilya Kovalchuk, Dainius Zubrus, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils

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