DANIA BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - With hundreds of thousands of federal workers in limbo, many are facing hardships as the government shutdown nears a month. A South Florida organization is stepping up to feed a need.
7News cameras captured volunteers with Feeding South Florida as they handed boxes and bags filled with produce to people in the parking lot of Bass Pro Shops in Dania Beach, Tuesday morning.
Some of the recipients told 7News they’re essential workers who are working without pay. Others have been furloughed.
“Working. I’m still working, I know they’re gonna pay in the future, hopefully. I have to work,” said one federal worker.
Several dozen people were already lined up hours before the giveaway even started.
In addition to produce, volunteers handed out nonperishable items and meat products.
“It’s going to help with my mom that has dementia, and she’s bedridden, and I’m the main caregiver for her, so that’s why I’m here from Miami,” said one federal worker.
Many of the federal workers who spoke with 7News are Transportation Security Administration employees, both at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Miami International Airport. Almost everyone said they’ve been through this with other shutdowns, but they worry about how long this one is lasting, and they are really worried about how they’re going to make it through the next few weeks.
“The concern is if it gets too long then it can become a bigger issue,” said John Perez, whose wife is a federal employee. “I mean, people deplete their savings.”
“It’s tough. Like right now I would normally be in the car with [air conditioning] on, but I got it off because I’m down to 20 miles,” said another federal worker. “You know, bills and everything, it don’t stop.”
John Hubert, the president for Florida’s American Federation of Government Employees, said he’s worried about how long this could go on as a deal to continue funding the government remains unclear.
“Unlike this partisan stuff, politics, all of this nonsense, the federal workforce is held in the middle.” he said. “We continue to come to work.”
Feeding South Florida CEO Paco Vélez said they’re just trying to help as best they can.
“Our community in South Florida has always stepped up and provided support and supported our mission during times of disaster, during a global pandemic and here this man-made disaster, where all these folks are still working, still keeping our skies safe, our seas safe, our community and our country safe. Yet they’re not getting paid,” he said.
Tuesday’s giveaway ended at 1 p.m., but organizers said they will definitely be hosting more, adding that the best place for these federal workers to find out where there is one is to either contact Feeding South Florida or through their own union representatives.
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