Supporting Federal Workers During the Government Shutdown

Nearly 20,000 federal workers in Minnesota are navigating missed paychecks due to the government shutdown.

That’s why Second Harvest Heartland is partnering with The Sanneh Foundation and the Metropolitan Airports Commission on pop-up food distributions at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. These pop-up distributions are one way that we are getting more food out into the community, at a time that is already so difficult for many Minnesota families.

A display of the food available in each emergency food box.

Each Wednesday, hundreds of shelf-stable emergency food boxes are provided to TSA agents and other federal government employees who need them. The boxes include things like cereal, canned fruits and vegetables, pasta, tuna, and peanut butter. These distributions will continue for two weeks after the government reopens to ensure TSA and other federal workers who have missed paychecks are fully supported.

"Behind every number is a person. It is a family, a senior, a child who has been impacted by this shutdown," said Second Harvest Heartland CEO Sarah Moberg.

As the shutdown continues, pausing paychecks and programs like SNAP, we are getting out as much food as we can to support our neighbors and the food shelves who serve them. Visit our shutdown response page for more information about what we’re doing and how you can help.