The King’s Table at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church is welcoming Transportation Security Administration officers facing financial hardship from the partial government shutdown and their families at a free food distribution event on Saturday, along with all other metro Atlanta families facing food insecurity.
Fresh produce, meat and shelf-stable items will be offered to families on a first-come, first-served basis, according to a news release from the church. Organizers anticipate serving more than 2,000 families.
The distribution will take place at 6400 Woodrow Rd. in Stonecrest.
The King’s Table, a ministry launched in 2020 by New Birth to curb food insecurity, is one of several community groups across the country extending relief to TSA workers, who have gone weeks without pay.
The City of Atlanta and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport are providing several support measures to TSA officers, including free MARTA Breeze passes, two meal vouchers per shift and complimentary parking during their assigned shifts. Airport concessionaires are also offering discounted meals and food options.
TSA officers missed their first full paycheck on March 13. The hardship is forcing some officers to turn to other work to stay afloat.
Aaron Barker, a longtime TSA worker and president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 554 in Atlanta, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution earlier this week that going without pay means some TSA officers can’t afford child care, to pay their electricity bills or to get to work.
More than 1,000 TSA employees work at Hartsfield-Jackson. More than a third of TSA workers are calling out of work in Atlanta on some days, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
In a statement in the news release, New Birth’s senior pastor, Jamal Bryant, said the weight of rising costs, global conflict and economic uncertainty is personal and immediate.
“Whether you are a TSA worker navigating the impact of a shutdown or a family simply in need, we want you to know that help is here, hope is here, and you are not alone,” Bryant said.
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