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

Charities and local groups step in to provide food and other necessities to federal workers going without pay during the partial government shutdown.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 9:18am

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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, unions, and airports are working together to provide meals, food boxes, and other necessities to TSA workers who are prohibited from accepting gifts directly.

Why it matters

The ongoing government shutdown has left over 120,000 Department of Homeland Security employees, including 50,000 TSA officers, working without pay. This has created a significant hardship for these federal workers, many of whom are struggling to afford basic necessities like food, utilities, and medical care. Nonprofits, unions, and airports are stepping in to provide critical support, but the most effective solution would be an end to the shutdown so that TSA officers can receive their full paychecks.

The details

Charities like World Central Kitchen and Feeding San Diego have started providing meals and food boxes to TSA officers at airports, coordinating closely with the airports and local TSA offices to ensure the resources reach the workers who need them. Union leaders like Aaron Barker of AFGE Local 554 in Georgia are also accepting donations that they can distribute to their members. However, ethics rules prohibit TSA officers from accepting gifts directly at screening locations, so the nonprofits and unions are playing a key role in getting the support to the workers.

  • 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 organization that began distributing 400 boxes of food to affected TSA agents near the San Diego airport after a request from TSA and the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority.

Aaron Barker

The president of AFGE Local 554 in Georgia, a TSA officer union that can accept donations to distribute to its members.

Kristen Wild

The CEO of Operation Food Search, a Missouri hunger relief nonprofit working closely with 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 been fielding donations and stocking a private pantry for off-shift 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 AFGE Local 554 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 significant hardship faced by federal workers who are going without pay during the government shutdown, and the critical role that nonprofits, unions, and local communities are playing to provide them with food and other necessities. While these efforts are important, the most effective solution would be an end to the shutdown so that TSA officers and other DHS employees can receive their full paychecks.