Outpouring of generosity for TSA workers, others without pay

The partial government shutdown is a double-whammy for Cara and Philip Mangone, a married couple from Philadelphia. Both are agents with the Transportation Safety Administration, both working full time at the Philadelphia airport. Neither knows when they might again start drawing their paychecks.

Part-time jobs are out of the question — they work opposite shifts timed to make sure one of them is always home with their kids, ages 2 and 5. So donations of food and diapers have been a real help as savings are being stretched thin.

“Every penny that we don’t have to spend is helpful,” Cara Mangone said Wednesday as she picked up donated goods being distributed at the airport by fellow members of the American Federation of Government Employees.

The shutdown has brought an outpouring of generosity to TSA agents and other federal employees who are working without pay. Food, financial help, haircuts and toiletries are among the donated goods and services. TSA screeners start at about $24,000 a year, and most make between $26,000 and $35,000, less than many other government employees, although some earn more because of seniority, overtime or level of management responsibility.

On Wednesday, donations of diapers, juice, garbage bags, canned soup and boxes of Ramen noodles were being unloaded onto luggage carts at the valet drop-off curb at Orlando International Airport, to be distributed to TSA workers there the next day.

“I just wanted to support the federal workers who are furloughed because of the inaction of our government leaders,” said Brian Couch, wearing a Kansas City Chiefs ball cap as he dropped off his donation.

The airport in Pittsburgh provided a free lunch to TSA workers on what should have been their payday last Friday. “Our Operation Thank You free lunch program initially was only Fridays but because we’re hearing from several food vendors who want to donate, it’s possible it will be increased to more days,” airport spokesman Bob Kerlik said in an email.

At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, spokeswoman Elise Durham said some concession operators there were also donating free lunches to TSA workers and the airport was providing complimentary parking for those workers who need it.

Some travelers wanted to get in on the act, but TSA rules don’t allow that.

“There are people trying to donate gift cards to us at the checkpoints,” Cara Mangone said. “We can’t accept it.”

Businesses large and small are trying to help.

The Ruby Slipper, a New Orleans-based restaurant chain with several locations in the city and on the Gulf Coast, said on its Facebook page that it has served some 3,000 free meals since offering help to unpaid federal employees more than two weeks ago. At The Top Knot Beauty Company in the New Orleans suburb of Metairie, owner Jennifer Delage has been offering free haircuts to federal employees. She said other businesses have followed suit with free or discounted services.

“That was the main goal,” Delage said. “To inspire others to pay it forward.”

Such sentiments are evident all over the country — and beyond.

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