Nonprofits, unions and airports rally to feed TSA officers as shutdown drags

Charity groups and airport communities step up to help Transportation Security Administration workers who have gone without pay for over a month.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 4:13am

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Across the country, collections are popping up to help Transportation Security Administration officers who have been without full pay for more than a month due to the partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security. Nonprofits like World Central Kitchen and Feeding San Diego are working with airports to distribute food and other necessities to TSA workers, as ethics rules make it difficult for the affected agents to receive direct help.

Why it matters

The ongoing government shutdown has left over 120,000 DHS employees, including around 50,000 TSA officers, working without pay. This has created significant financial hardship for these federal workers, who are struggling to cover basic expenses like rent, utilities, and medical bills. Nonprofits and local communities are stepping in to provide critical support, highlighting the human impact of the political stalemate.

The details

Nonprofits like World Central Kitchen and Feeding San Diego have started providing meals and other supplies to TSA officers at airports across the country. They are coordinating closely with the airports and local TSA offices to ensure the aid reaches the workers in need, as federal ethics rules prohibit the officers from directly accepting gifts. Unions representing TSA workers have also been able to accept donations to distribute to their members.

  • The partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security began on March 22, 2026.
  • Saturday, March 23, 2026 marks the 36th day of the shutdown.

The players

World Central Kitchen

A charity organization more accustomed to feeding those in war zones and disaster areas, which started providing meals to Washington, D.C.-area airports after many TSA officers missed their first full paycheck.

Feeding San Diego

A nonprofit that began distributing 400 boxes of food, including pasta, beans, peanut butter, strawberries, and potatoes, to affected TSA agents near the San Diego airport.

Aaron Barker

The president of the AFGE Local 554 union in Georgia, who said TSA officer unions don't have the same restrictions as federal employees and can accept donations to distribute to their members.

Kristen Wild

The CEO of Operation Food Search, a Missouri hunger relief nonprofit working closely with the TSA to safely deliver food and set up a temporary pantry at St. Louis Lambert International Airport.

Perry Cooper

A spokesperson for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which has seen dining vendors and other airport tenants step up to offer discounts and donate meals to cover entire shifts for TSA staff.

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What they’re saying

“We need to work directly with the people who have direct access to these employees and get this food to them at a time and location that is most convenient to them.”

— Carissa Casares, from Feeding San Diego

“For some people it can be life or death. It's just sad and terrible that this is happening.”

— Aaron Barker, president of the AFGE Local 554 union in Georgia

“The work they are doing is serious and they aren't getting paid for it. My heart goes out to them.”

— Musie Hidad

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This situation highlights the human toll of the ongoing government shutdown, with federal workers struggling to make ends meet. While nonprofits and local communities have stepped up to provide critical support, the most effective solution would be an end to the political stalemate and a restoration of full pay for the affected TSA officers and other DHS employees.