In times like these, a steak dinner doesn’t come by so easily. And for Lower East Side butcher Jeffrey Ruhalter, now more than ever is the time to give back. One hundred and fifteen lucky couples, on a first come first serve basis, will enjoy an almost-free-of-charge- gourmet meal, to be donated by Ruhalter and other food providers. For a $10 co-pay, couples who can verify they are unemployed or facing foreclose can come to Essex restaurant on Mar. 31  or Thor Restaurant on Apr. 1, for a New York strip steak, stemaed veggies, gourmet cheese and cupcakes.

“These are good people and they are going through something that they are not accustomed to,” Ruhalter told the NY Daily News. “For people who are suffering right now, a nice dinner in a beautiful restaurant for $10 – that can really put a smile on your face,” he said.

Known as “Your Personal Buthcher,” Ruhalter is serious about his meat. Waking up at 5:30 a.m. to scour the meat packing district, Ruhalter is always thinking about his customers. His shop, Jefferey’s Meats, is on 120 Essex Street in the Essex Market is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. Ruhalter has been a featured guest on numerous Food Network shows and is the fourth generation owner of Jefferey’s Meats, a resident of the Lower East Side for over 75 years.