Albany Airport TSA Workers Receive Food Aid During Shutdown

Regional Food Bank provides over 200 bags of food to federal workers not receiving paychecks.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 1:33am

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The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York is providing food assistance to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers at the Albany International Airport who are not being paid due to the ongoing partial government shutdown. The Food Bank distributed over 200 bags containing proteins, grains, fruits, and vegetables to help support the federal workers during this period of financial uncertainty.

Why it matters

The government shutdown has left many federal employees, including TSA agents who are responsible for airport security, without paychecks. This food aid from the Regional Food Bank helps ensure these essential workers can feed themselves and their families during the shutdown.

The details

The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York stepped in to provide over 200 bags of food containing various proteins, grains, fruits, and vegetables to TSA workers at the Albany International Airport. Chief Program Officer Michael-Aaron Poindexter emphasized the importance of the community rallying to support these federal employees who are continuing to work without pay to keep airports safe and operational.

  • The food distribution took place on March 17, 2026.

The players

Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York

A non-profit organization that provides food assistance to those in need across the northeastern New York region.

Michael-Aaron Poindexter

The Chief Program Officer of the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York.

Albany International Airport

The airport serving the Albany, New York metropolitan area.

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What they’re saying

“TSA workers are showing up every day. They are ensuring that our airports are safe, ensuring that our passengers can make it into the airport to get to their destination. But yet they're not sure if they're going to have food on their table or a paycheck the next time the pay cycle comes around.”

— Michael-Aaron Poindexter, Chief Program Officer, Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York

What’s next

Congress continues to negotiate to end the partial government shutdown, which will allow TSA workers and other federal employees to resume receiving their regular paychecks.

The takeaway

This food distribution effort by the Regional Food Bank highlights the importance of community support for federal workers impacted by the government shutdown, especially those in critical public safety roles like the TSA agents at Albany Airport.