East Bay native, former Raider Marshawn Lynch's restaurant holds holiday food drive for homeless

EMERYVILLE, Calif. (KGO) -- A restaurant co-owned by former Oakland Raider Marshawn Lynch held a holiday meal drive for the homeless community on Wednesday.

The staff at Rob Ben's Restaurant in Emeryville handed out hundreds of chicken lunches with sides of green beans and cheesy macaroni.

Lynch bought the restaurant with his aunt Kecia Johnson two years ago.

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The restaurant has partnered with World Central Kitchen to hand out 1,100 meals a week during the pandemic.

"Marshawn has always been a giving person," Johnson says. "Ever since he was younger, this has been his goal to provide for the community that he grew up in."

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The business is a family affair, with Johnson and another one of Lynch's aunts running the soul food restaurant.

They keep a collection jar on the counter for people to put in money to help feed others that are less fortunate in the East Bay.