Monday marks one month since the U.S. government shut down, and federal employees who haven’t received a paycheck since December are pinching pennies.

Utilities have gone unpaid. Families have been choosing between car payments and credit card bills. And February mortgage payments are creeping up, leaving many homeowners worried.

So a Jersey rock star teamed up with the governor to help provide food for furloughed federal employees who are just living on a prayer.

Jon Bon Jovi and his wife, Dorothea, opened up the doors of their community kitchen, JBJ Soul Kitchen in Red Bank on Monday for free lunch for federal employees working without pay.

The musician partnered with The Murphy Family Foundation, which provided the meals, including meatloaf, flounder, soup and desserts. That’s the foundation of Gov. Phil Murphy and his wife, First Lady Tammy Murphy.

Head chef Joshua Wiggins cutting meatloaf, part of a free lunch served to furloughed federal workers at Jon Bon Jovi's community kitchen, Soul Kitchen, in Red Bank. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

“As time went by, we realized we need to step up and do something and give back,” said Tammy Murphy, who was joined by the governor after he made a short surprise appearance at the community kitchen.

JBJ Soul Kitchen opened in 2011, and operates on a donation- and volunteer-based paying system. Typically, the community restaurant isn’t open for lunch or on Mondays, but the family made an exception as the shutdown crossed the 30-day mark.

“Our thoughts for today was just to see what the community needed, and we will try to address them with whatever resources they might need," owner Dorothea Bongiovi said.

“We hope that people use this as a resource, and if that’s not today, we’re here five days a week."

More than 70 people attended Monday’s lunch, Bongiovi said. Because of the high turnout, the Toms River location will provide lunch to federal employees affected by the shutdown on Wednesday.

“Everyone is just so incredibly welcoming and kind. The food was amazing. We can’t wait to give back once our paycheck kicks back in to come back and help other people out,” said Kristy Benson, wife of a Coast Guard member.

Her husband Terry Benson is also the author of educational children’s books, The Adventures of Onyx, based on different Coast Guard missions. During the shutdown, some of the proceeds of sales will be donated to the Coast Coast Guard Mutual Assistance Fund, which is providing interest-free loans to affected families.

Kristy Benson displays the books her husband, who serves in the Coast Guard, writes based on his missions. During the shutdown, a proceed of sales go to the Coast Guard Mutual Assistance Fund. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

She connected with other Coast Guard families to talk about the shutdown, and heard stories of families having to choose between buying groceries or gifts for their children’s birthday.

“Children are having birthdays and they’re not getting gifts or celebrations ... and it just wasn’t sitting well with me at all,” said the Aberdeen resident, who opened up the website to donations so people can buy books and stuffed toys to gift to those children.

“We will send the child an autographed book or a gift so that they can have a special gift on their birthday that celebrates the wonderful things that their moms and dads do,” she said, noting she’s been flooded with requests from families who don’t have the means to ideally celebrate. “We’re just looking for help for these Coast Guard families.”

And while families were able to enjoy lunch without money on their mind, a sense of worry remained in their heads.

Lisa Harrington, a Housing and Urban Development employee, said she figured the shutdown would only last a week, but it’s become clear to her that there’s no end in sight.

“It’s starting to get really hard,” she said. “My son is getting ready to take driving lessons, which we have to postpone, we can’t afford (it). We have to watch what we’re spending on groceries. We have to watch utilities.”

Harrington, a Matawan resident, called on the government to compromise and stop collecting paychecks while federal employees are furloughed. She’s had to depend on the empathy of friends and family to help her out.

“It makes me cry sometimes, when I’m working on a grocery list and the next day I wake up and someone dropped off a $25 Shoprite gift card,” she added.

“At the same time, it kind of hurts it has to come to that."

Sophie Nieto-Munoz may be reached at snietomunoz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her at @snietomunoz. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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