Alameda Co. food bank steps in to help TSA workers, families impacted by government shutdown

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- The Alameda County Community Food Bank is stepping in to support federal workers impacted by the ongoing government shutdown.

After their Thursday morning shift, TSA employees at the Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport picked up food provided by the Alameda County Community Food Bank.

As federal workers navigate life with no paycheck in sight, the Food Bank is seeing an increased need.

"I think one of the big challenges in general with not being paid, is essentially that is your whole livelihood is at risk," said Regi Young, executive director of the Alameda County Community Food Bank.

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Young says, just like during the last government shutdown, the food bank was contacted about meeting the need. Bags and boxes filled with rice and beans, eggs and fresh produce were available to the 300 TSA employees who work at the Oakland airport.

"You have to deal with rent. You have to deal with medicines, whatever other issues you have to deal. We want to ensure that food is one of the things you don't have to worry about," Young said.

For the past three weeks, TSA employees have been coming to work. But they aren't getting paid.

"Due to the government shutdown, all of our TSA officers, as well as FAA, air traffic controllers and certain CBP officers are considers essential employees. So, they are working without pay during this government shutdown," said Kaley Skantz, spokesperson for the Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport.

No TSA employees were allowed to be interviewed. But earlier this month in Oakland, at roundtable discussion hosted by East Bay Congresswoman Lateefah Simon about the government shutdown, TSA employees spoke of the hardship many are facing.

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"We just don't want this to become a prolonged fight, because we don't know how we are going to pay to stay in the fight," said Gilbert Galam with American Federation of Government Employees, which represents TSA employees.

The Alameda Labor Council estimates that there are 78,000 federal workers in the Bay Area. The highest number are in Alameda County at 10,400, including Oakland airport TSA workers, who are already feeling the impact of missing paychecks.

"We have families. A lot of our TSOs live paycheck to paycheck. They have childcare issues. They have to show up at 3 o'clock in the morning to fly out the traveling public," Galam said.

The food bank says it ready to help out as long as the shutdown drags on. Thursday's distribution will feed nearly 300 TSA workers and their families.