QUEENS – A pop-up food distribution site in Corona, Queens is feeding essential government workers who have gone an entire month without pay.
Gov. workers go 4 weeks without pay
What we know:
In the fifth week of the government shutdown, essential workers are being forced to show up to work without receiving a paycheck, and the stress is beginning to show.
FOX 5 NY’s Lisa Evers spoke to some workers outside a pop-up food distribution site, set up by Food Bank for NYC – the food bank, which can be found on 103rd Street in Corona, Queens, had a continuous line outside.
The pop-up had produce, protein and pantry items for 500 people, Evers reports.
What they’re saying:
One office worker who helps senior citizens and disabled individuals receive social security benefits told Evers she had to seek medical attention for a panic attack, saying the pressure of working without pay is overwhelming.
“We’re good people… we’re law-abiding citizens,” she told Evers. “We are taxpayers, like everybody else. We are there to serve the public, every single day. We didn’t do anything to deserve this.”
Big picture view:
Members of Congress are under increasing pressure to re-open the government, but they are not under the same financial hardship as these government workers; Congressmembers receive regular paychecks regardless of whether they are working or not.
The Source: This article includes reporting from FOX 5 NY’s Lisa Evers.