CHARITIES GEARING UP TO HELP FURLOUGHED
Food bank, United Way offer assistance to federal workers missing pay
As the partial federal government shutdown continues, a pair of prominent Peninsula nonprofits are gearing up to help out as needs of furloughed workers grow.
The Virginia Peninsula Foodbank is expecting more furloughed employees to come by and pick up food amid some challenges the organization is facing.
Meanwhile, the United Way of the Virginia Peninsula has set up a fund specifically to assist those going without pay in the shutdown.
The timing of the shutdown causes some challenges for the food bank, said CEO Karen Joyner. The time right after the holidays is usually a dry spell for donations, and the food bank still is making up for the loss of Peninsulaarea Farm Fresh stores, which were its third-largest donor.
Even if the total supply is down, hunger still persists, Joyner said.
The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Food Drive, started by Newport News Mayor McKinley Price three years ago, will provide an extra boost for the food bank. The drive will be held 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday at the food bank, 2401 Aluminum Ave. in Hampton.
Price said at the Jan. 8 City Council meeting that one of King’s most persistent questions was “What are you doing for others?” That question helped inspire Price to start the food drive.
Early in the shutdown, the food bank put a reminder on social media that people whose budgets were tight always could reach out for assistance.
The food bank has not seen a major uptick yet, but now that workers have missed a paycheck, that may change, Joyner said.
There may be a mental hurdle to clear as well, Joyner said, as some folks may not have anticipated needing getting help from the food bank.
Joyner said the organization is taking steps to reach out to them.
Thursday, the food bank will head to Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport to distribute to Transportation Security Administration employees who have been working without pay.
Joyner said the local TSA agent union reached out to set up the distribution.
The food bank will have a special distribution for furloughed workers 2-3:30 p.m. Friday. Joyner said the distributions will continue for the duration of the shutdown.
While the total inventory of the food bank is down, other grocery stores have stepped up to lessen the blow of the Farm Fresh closures.
The grocer donated about 1 million pounds of food per year, and Joyner said Kroger stores filling those spaces have made up for about half of that loss.
The shutdown has not yet directly impacted the food bank.
But about 15 percent of the food bank's inventory comes from the federal government, and that supply is only secure through mid-February.
The United Way of the Virginia Peninsula started a fund Tuesday to help people impacted by the shutdown with rent, mortgage payments, utility bills and groceries.
The fund was started because of an expectation of more calls coming in to the United Way's local assistance and referral sources, according to a news release.
People can donate to this fund for federal workers at the United Way's office, 11820 Fountain Way, Suite 206, Newport News, or online at www.uwvp .org.
All funds will be given to United Way partner agencies to assist with emergency needs such as food, transportation and bill payments.
Steven Kast, president and CEO of the United Way, said the shutdown hasn't yet made a major impact on people seeking out the United Way for help, but partner agencies that work with the organization advised “the worst is yet to come” if the shutdown drags out.
That led the United Way to start the fund and also advance money to some of its partners whose funding has been impacted.
Furloughed employees living in Newport News, Hampton, or lower York County can call 757-5944636 to set up an appointment to receive United Way assistance.
Furloughed employees in Williamsburg, James City County and Upper York County can call 757229-2222.