Jaden Smith is receiving accolades for his fresh career path beyond the realm of acting.
Many are familiar with Jaden as the offspring of Hollywood icons Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith. In 2023, the couple made the surprising revelation that they had secretly been separated for seven years.
Moving past that revelation, Jaden and his sister Willow have often been labeled as ‘nepo babies’, but they are striving to establish their own independent careers.
The 27-year-old musician is launching a restaurant aimed at feeding the homeless, distributing complimentary vegan meals in Los Angeles’s Skid Row area.
This initiative follows the debut of his ‘I Love You’ food truck that he started in 2019.
Discussing the restaurant, Jaden mentioned that while everyone can visit the venue, those who are not homeless will need to pay for their meals.
“It’s for homeless people to get free food,” he shared with Variety. “[I]f 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.”
Jaden has clarified that those in need can receive breakfast, lunch, and dinner without any inquiry.
A few years ago, he spoke about the initiative on Instagram, stating: “You know, it’s always been a dream of mine to give back. And growing up in LA, so close to Skid Row, it felt like a no-brainer back in 2019 to create the I Love You food truck and give away free meals to the community.
“At the end of the day, having access to water and food is a human right and we’re just trying to help people live a better life.
“So when people ask us why we do what we do the answer is very simple: it’s because I love you.”
Jaden revealed that his motivation to help others was sparked after working with his father on the 2006 film, The Pursuit of Happyness.
“Seeing it in real life, that’s what really made me decide to create the I Love You food truck,” he remarked. “For something to give back to the community.”
The film is inspired by a true story and features Will as a father doing everything in his power to maintain a home for his family.
The storyline is based on the life of American entrepreneur Chris Gardner, who faced homelessness while raising his son.
Jaden’s initiative has been met with approval, with one individual describing it as ‘genius’.
“Now this is genius,” one person remarked, another commented: “Aw this is so awesome.” A third expressed: “I commend him for this!”
A fourth individual added: “Man got a good heart.”