As the partial government shutdown continues, nonprofits across the country are stepping in to provide support to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers, many of whom have been working without pay for more than a month.
With the Department of Homeland Security affected, various charity organizations are coordinating with local TSA offices and airports to help those struggling.
World Central Kitchen and Feeding San Diego Step In
Charity organizations like World Central Kitchen and Feeding San Diego have been providing meals to TSA workers. World Central Kitchen, which is usually focused on disaster areas, began offering food to TSA officers at Washington, D.C.-area airports when many agents missed their first full paycheck.
Feeding San Diego also began distributing food near the San Diego International Airport after a request from local TSA officers.
According to Carissa Casares from Feeding San Diego, the food distribution efforts are more effective when nonprofits work directly with the people who have access to TSA employees. This helps deliver aid in a timely and convenient manner.
Difficulties of Accepting Donations
However, due to strict ethics rules around giving gifts to federal employees, TSA officers are unable to directly accept donations like cash or gift cards at screening locations.
Aaron Barker, president of the AFGE Local 554 union in Georgia, suggested that those wanting to help donate through local union chapters or their local labor councils.
According to Barker, TSA officers are facing serious financial hardships, unable to pay utility bills, cover medical expenses, or even afford basic necessities like toothpaste, detergent, and milk.
Despite these struggles, he emphasized that the most important help TSA officers want is their paycheck.
Operation Food Search Supports TSA Workers in St. Louis
In St. Louis, Operation Food Search has been working with TSA officers to set up a temporary pantry at Lambert International Airport. This is the first time the nonprofit has directly served TSA employees where they work.
The organization has distributed 400 prepared food bags containing non-perishable items like rice, pasta, and beans to TSA workers.
While there are rules limiting how much food TSA workers can receive, the food provided is carefully kept below the $20 limit for gifts to avoid any issues with the ethics rules.
Airport Communities Unite to Help TSA Officers
At Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, local food banks and vendors have been providing meals and donations for TSA officers. Airport officials have raised more than $6,000 in cash and gift cards and gathered an additional $10,000 worth of food and household products to help TSA workers during the shutdown.
The support from the airport community also includes food donations like fresh produce from Food Lifeline, which served over 460 TSA staff members.
Travelers like Musie Hidad, who was flying from Amarillo, Texas, to Columbus, Ohio, expressed sympathy for TSA workers. “My heart goes out to them,” said Hidad, recognizing the hard work TSA agents do despite not getting paid.
