Variety has learned that Jaden Smith is opening a restaurant that will give free meals to homeless people.
The establishment is named after Jaden’s I Love You food truck initiative, which he launched nearly two years ago, on his 21st birthday. The musician, actor, and philanthropist said his goal was to provide “healthy, vegan food for free” to those in need in Los Angeles’ Skid Row area.
With the I Love You restaurant, Jaden want those who can afford to pay for their meal to spend a little more as a means of paying it forward to the next person in need. “But if you’re not homeless, not only do you have to pay, but you have to pay for more than the food’s worth so that you can pay for the person behind you,” he explained.
Stay tuned for more details regarding Smith’s I Love You restaurant.
Smith spoke with Complex last April about how his I Love You initiative needed to switch up its approach when it came to lending a helping hand in wake of the pandemic. Instead of the food truck, Smith worked out a way to send care packages to Skid Row that included food, masks, clothes, and hand sanitizer.
In October, Jaden launched his latest philanthropic project: The Water Box, a filtration system that helps provide water to areas that struggle to obtain the necessary resource. Smith took his venture to Flint, Michigan, which has been entrenched in a water crisis. Through his efforts, Jaden was able to provide the equivalent of at least 300,000 bottles of water.
“At any moment, we can create a new version of the world,” Jaden said. “I have a belief that the next thing that changes everything for everyone can be around the corner.”
