As the owner of one of the few businesses on Teaneck Road with electricity, Shia Schonfeld decided to share his good luck with his neighbors.

Schonfeld, a partner at Teaneck Kosher Supermarket, began giving away free dinners on Monday to residents who lost power during the recent storm.

The supermarket served 400 to 500 dinners on Monday and expected to serve the same number Tuesday, Schonfeld said. The program will continue on Wednesday if the power is not restored by then, he said.

The dinners are served from 4 to 8 p.m., he said.

Residents can get hot soup, two side dishes and a choice of a main dish, he said. Children can choose from chicken nuggets, hot dogs and french fries, he said.

The offer is not restricted to Teaneck residents, Schonfeld said.

“Anybody who walks in and says “I do not have power,’ we do not ask questions,” he said. “We ask how many kids and how many adults.”

Schonfeld’s home lost power for about two hours on Saturday, long enough, he said, to “terrify” his family. He said he was touched by the stories of those who are struggling without electricity. One woman told him she had not washed her hair in three days, he said.

“We wanted to do this for the community,” he said, “to help out those who do not have electricity, heat or hot water.”

The supermarket did something similar a year ago when heavy winds knocked down a maple tree on Jefferson Street, killing two residents and cutting power to parts of the town, he said.

 “We decided God blessed us, we do have power, and we are going to use it for good,” he said. “We are going to do it again.”

(Source: Bergen County Record)