BOISE, Idaho — TSA agents and federal workers at the Boise Airport haven’t received a full paycheck in more than a month, and now neighbors are stepping up to help them stay fed.
The city is organizing a donation drive, collecting everything from food to diapers.
“People are starting to feel it, it’s been a while since we got a full paycheck,” said Cameron Cochems, a TSA employee and Vice President for Idaho’s District 11 AFGE government employee union.
Cochems said he and his colleagues have not received a full paycheck since mid-September.
WATCH: Hear from local leaders about the food drive
“It’s difficult when you’re having to worry about how you’re gonna pay for your rent or pay for your kids food and then you have to come to work,” he said.
As rent and mortgage payments come due, workers are feeling the impacts, especially at the grocery store.
“It’s hard to think about how you’re going to feed your family but also do your job,” Cochems said.
So, the city of Boise is now holding a food drive to help feed federal employees and their families from TSA, Air Traffic Control and the National Interagency Fire Center.
“These folks here support us, and so today Boiseans want to support them,” said Boise Mayor Lauren McLean.
McLean says 25,000 people are affected by the SNAP lapse in Ada County.
“The folks that have lost their SNAP benefits right now in the shutdown are working Boiseans,” she added.
Although many government employees continue to work, there is uncertainty about if and when they will receive back pay once the shutdown ends.
“There is a law in place that says we’re guaranteed it. Now, sometimes it feels like laws are guidelines nowadays, and so we really don’t know. There have been threats that they are not going to pay us,” Cochems said.
He added that a lapse in pay this long is taking a toll on workers.
“We’re not talking about what are we all doing for Halloween or Thanksgiving and stuff like that, we’re talking about how we’re saving money or what conversations we need to have with our creditors,” he said.
How to help:
Non-perishable donations can be dropped off in 4 collection bins around the airport at any time, 24 hours a day.
A drive-up donation event will also take place on Wednesday between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.
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