Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser serving workers affected by the government shutdown at Chef José Andrés World Central Kitchen, #FoodForFeds program (Phil Pasquini / Shutterstock.com)
The number of restaurants, companies and private citizens that are helping to feed the federal workers who are furloughed or working without pay is growing every day since the partial government shutdown began on December 22, 2018.
This genuine wellspring of kindness and generosity shows that Americans are willing to lend a hand to their neighbors in need. They are opening their hearts and wallets in a very big way.
The shutdown has directly affected 800,000 government workers and their families, from park rangers, TSA agents, Coast Guard rescue teams to even the White House chefs. These workers have already missed one paycheck due to the shut-down. Tens of thousands more are indirectly affected as the shutdown means that also government contractors aren’t assigned projects - meaning no work.
Restaurants Providing Free Meals
In Washington DC, celebrity José Andrés was one of the first to tweet that he would be offering free sandwiches to federal workers for lunch at every one of his restaurants until they get paid. Poor Richard's restaurant in Colorado Springs also wrote on Twitter that it would provide free meals to government employees and their families. All they have to do is show their government ID.
Important News! #ChefsForFeds is expanding across the nation to serve those impacted by the shutdown. Join us and together we will feed Americans in need for as long as this crisis continues! https://t.co/Yv7FN4GJ0f pic.twitter.com/gmTAB3gTFQ
— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) January 19, 2019
In New Orleans, Louisiana’s Ruby Slipper Cafes are offering free meals to federal workers and their families. Neal Brown a restaurateur in Indianapolis who owns Ukiyo Sushi Bar, Libertine Liquor Bar and Pizzology Craft Pizza & Pub announced on Facebook that he will be feeding any affected employees, "until they get paid again." Java Joe's Café in Saint Ignace, Michigan said on Facebook that they will be feeding coast Guard members who have to work without pay free breakfast.
This is going on all across the county as restaurants are offering free or reduced prices to federal workers.
Manufacturers and Food Banks Help Out
Kraft Food set up a pop-up grocery in Washington DC that was open between January 16 – 20. Federal government workers with IDs were able to bring home a bag of Kraft products for their families. “During the government shutdown, parents should not have to worry about putting dinner on the table because they aren’t receiving a paycheck,” said Sergio Eleuterio, Head of Marketing for Kraft in a press release. Kraft asked the workers to pay it forward when they can.
A portion of the vital products we are repacking today will support federal workers impacted by the government #shutdown. We are hosting a pop-up distribution for these families TOMORROW at @barclayscenter from 12 PM-3PM. #DoneInADay4MLK Visit https://t.co/3oJJfjEoMe pic.twitter.com/3RlWHMxvOg
— Food Bank For NYC (@FoodBank4NYC) January 21, 2019The Atlanta Community Food Bank started to hand out food to federal workers last week. “This is a growing crisis. We are preparing for it as if it is a natural disaster in scale,” Atlanta Community Food Bank CEO Kyle Waide told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In Washington DC, Capital Area Food Bank is expecting up to a 20 percent increase in food requests, The Washington Post reported.
Masbia, a New York nonprofit organization distributed flyers to workers at JFK and LaGuardia airports giving the locations of the organizations soup kitchens and inviting the workers to pick up groceries or hot dinners.
Donations of food, diapers and toiletries are badly needed in food pantries across the country.
Help for Transportation Security Administration Workers
TSA essential workers who have to work but are not receiving paychecks need help with food and supplies. Last week, donations of diapers, juice, canned soups, and Ramen noodles were distributed to workers at Orlando International Airport in Florida, while vendors in the airports in Pittsburgh and Atlanta are providing free lunches to the workers.
Air traffic controllers from Canada sent pizza to their American colleagues who’ve been working without pay during the shutdown pic.twitter.com/myLJFddT8C
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 15, 2019Generosity knows no borders. Canadian air traffic controllers have been taking up donations to have pizza delivered to their counterparts in the US. Pizzas were sent to controllers at 84 US facilities. "We've stopped tracking the number of pizzas," Tania Calverley, director of communications for the Canadian Air Traffic Controllers Association told CBS News "We're certainly well over 400."
More Help
About 1,800 Go-Fund Me campaigns have been set-up to aid the federal workers and more than $400,000 have been raised, according to CNBC.
Wireless supplier AT & T said in a company statement that "As long as the shutdown is in effect, our customer service team will waive late fees, provide extensions and coordinate with you on revised payment schedules." Other providers have also expressed a willingness to work with the affected employees.
Credit card companies, lenders and large banks including Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo have assistance programs, and many are waiving fees but USA Today stressed that workers should contact the companies before they miss payments. They also said that many utilities are also working with furloughed workers.
Furloughed employees stop by for a meal, info & resources @ Soul Kitchen #tomsriver #redbank #jbjsoulkitchen #FederalEmployees #federalshutdown pic.twitter.com/LmK3IgGbR7
— JBJ Soul Foundation (@JBJSoulFound) January 16, 2019Some organizations are offering federal workers interest free loans. An anonymous donor gave $500,000 for loans for workers in the Philadelphia area according to The Inquirer. Meanwhile, the Hebrew Free Loan Association of Greater Washington approved loans of up to $2,000 per household to Jewish federal workers who are missing paychecks.
The Navy Federal Credit Union is offering interest free loans to eligible active duty Coast Guard members and the Congressional Federal Credit union and US Employees Credit Union are also offering interest free loans to eligible employees. Other banks and credit unions across the country are also offering interest free bridge loans.
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