NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Virginia Peninsula Foodbank is giving out food to Newport News Airport TSA workers Thursday.
The food bank’s CEO told News 3 she was contacted by the President of the American Federation of Government Employees earlier this week, who asked for help for workers not getting paid due to the government shutdown.
“Although the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank is open every weekday for anyone needing food assistance and we had posted that Facebook reminder to Federal employees affected by the government shutdown, Scott [President of the AFGE] had said that many individuals need help but they are too proud to allow themselves to go to the Foodbank,” Virginia Peninsula Foodbank CEO Karen Joyner explained. “So the Foodbank is coming to them at the time of their shift change on Thursday!"
An agent for more than a decade, Karen Herod told News 3 the past few weeks have been stressful.
“I would say pretty much all of your household bills are affected, especially not knowing when you’ll be able to satisfy them and in terms of food, that’s a necessity," Herod explained.
Related: How to pay your bills during the government shutdown
Food bank workers will give the employees "Kroger Feed the Hungry Boxes," which contain juice, oatmeal, peanut butter, tuna, green beans, dry beans, canned peaches, milk, potatoes, carrots, chicken, pork and cereal.
Joyner said depending on the size of their family, the food would last about two or three days.
Related: Norfolk nonprofit providing food assistance for pets during government shutdown
“The food bank coming here is really truly a blessing to all of us when we need it, and some people have never experienced such hardship," Herod said.
The government has now been shut down for 27 days.
The food bank will give away food to people affected by the shutdown each Friday from 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m until the shutdown is over.
