NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The Virginia Peninsula Foodbank is making sure families impacted by the partial government shutdown have enough to eat.
Instead of furloughed workers going to the food bank, they brought the food bank to them. The agency handed out food to TSA workers at Newport News/Williamsburg International airport on Thursday.
TSA employees have already missed their first paychecks because of the shutdown, and they are in danger of missing another one, like Patrice Daniels.
“At first, I was like it'll be over soon, but then I saw it was way more serious,” Daniels said.
Daniels is a TSA employee at Newport News/Williamsburg International airport, and the Executive Vice President for the American Federation of Government Employees Local 448, but she's also a mom of four.
“I don't have the answers, how long this is going to take, so I am trying to keep the money I have,” Daniels said. “I have child care, gas and other things to do.”
The Virginia Peninsula Foodbank is trying to help with that burden. They teamed up with AFGE to help furloughed workers with groceries.
Two weeks ago, the foodbank opened their doors to people impacted by the shutdown. The president of the union reached out to the foodbank and said that many people need help, but are too proud to go to the Foodbank.
On Thursday, the foodbank distributed Kroger Feed the Hungry Boxes. The boxes contained juice, oatmeal, peanut butter, tuna, green beans, dry beans, and canned peaches, ½ gallons of fresh milk, bags of white potatoes, bags of carrots, packages of chicken, packages of pork (Bacon/Ham/Lunchmeat), and boxes of cereal.
“To do this for us it makes the officers comfortable to go later,” Daniels said. “People are private so while they may not say anything I can see on their faces.”
If you are a federal employee affected by the shutdown, the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank will hold special food distributions every Friday starting January 18, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. throughout the duration of the shutdown.
The foobank is located at 2401 Aluminum Avenue, Hampton, VA 23661. Please bring a bag if you have one. Services are on a first come, first serve basis. Call (757) 596-7188 with any questions.