Statewide Food Drives, Free Transit For Furloughed Fed Workers

ANNAPOLIS, MD — The partial federal government shutdown — the longest in U.S. history at day 34 — has left about 800,000 federal workers about to miss their second paycheck as the stalemate continues. Gov. Larry Hogan on Thursday announced a new statewide effort, #MDHelps, involving multiple state agencies in of support federal workers who have been affected by the ongoing partial shutdown. The program will cut commuting costs, collect food donations for BWI employees,

Between 230,000 and 245,000 Marylanders are federal employees; since some agencies are funded through other budget appropriations, about 90,000 Marylanders are either furloughed or working without pay, according to a state report.

“This federal government shutdown, the longest in the history of the United States, is impacting the security of our nation, the economy of the State of Maryland, and most importantly, the lives of tens of thousands of our Maryland citizens,” said Hogan said in his announcement made at BWI Airport. “Leaders in Washington need to put aside their differences and get this fixed.”

Free Transportation: To save commuting costs, beginning Friday morning, the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) is offering free transit for federal employees who are not being paid but still reporting to work during the shutdown. Federal employees who show their federal government ID can ride for free on MARC, Commuter Bus, and BaltimoreLink services, including: CityLink, LocalLink, Express BusLink, Light RailLink, and Metro SubwayLink.

BWI Food Drive: Baltimore/Washington Airport has established a food drive for airport employees, asking the public to donate food and other non-perishable items to federal workers impacted by the partial government shutdown. Items may be dropped off at the Maryland Transportation Authority Police station on the lower level of BWI Airport by door 14.

More than 800 federal employees work at BWI Marshall Airport, including TSA officers, FAA air traffic controllers, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents. A number of airport restaurants and airline partners have donated meals and perks for the federal personnel, including Subway, Urban Bar-B-Que, DuClaw Brewing Company, Jamba Juice, Mayorga Coffee, Harbor Grille, Martini, Finesse Lyfestyle, Pinkberry, Hudson Group, Be Relax, and Vino Volo, among others.

Food Drives At 15 Sites: The Maryland Department of General Services has organized a food drive with 15 drop-off locations in state-owned buildings across Maryland. Items most in need include canned meats, peanut butter and jelly, boxed pasta and sauce, healthy snacks such as breakfast bars and dried fruit, cereal, soups/canned meals, baby food, Ensure, and other nutritional supplements. Gift cards for groceries and fuel will also be accepted. All items collected will be delivered to local food banks. For additional information, including drop-off locations, visit the #MDHelps website at governor.maryland.gov/mdhelps.

“By donating a little, we can give families being adversely affected by this shutdown a lot,” said Secretary Ellington Churchill in a news release.

Unemployment Claims: The Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation’s Division of Unemployment Insurance has extended call center hours to handle the increase in unemployment claims stemming from the partial federal government shutdown. Call centers will be open for an additional two hours daily.

Furloughed employees are asked to file their initial claim using the standalone internet application at http://dllr.maryland.gov/employment/uifedshutdownlead.shtml, which streamlines the application process. Claims can also be filed by phone. As of Jan. 23, 4,037 unemployment claims have been filed.

SNAP Benefits: The Maryland Department of Human Services issued February SNAP benefits in mid-January to more than 650,000 Maryland recipients. Additionally, the department recently launched a website with information about benefits to assist residents. A list of community food resources by county, frequently asked questions, a copy of the SNAP/FSP customer letter, and phone numbers for each of the local departments of social services are posted on the website.

“I want to thank everyone here today for everything they are doing to help the people of Maryland,” Hogan said in a statement. “I’m calling on all Marylanders to provide whatever assistance we can provide to back up our fellow citizens who are impacted, and I will continue to push the leaders in Washington to get this solved.”

SEE ALSO:

• Federal Workers Nourished By Maryland Food Bank, Unions
• Government Shutdown Resources For Federal Workers In Maryland
• Howard County Offering Free Food To Federal Workers

• Government Shutdown Freebies, Deals For Federal Workers In DMV
• Airbnb Offers Program For MD Federal Workers Impacted By Shutdown
• Resources For Federal Workers Being Offered In Montgomery County
• Free Pet Food For Federal Employees At Baltimore Humane Society
• Federal Government Shutdown Help For Families In Anne Arundel
• Meal Assistance In Howard County Schools Offered Amid Shutdown
• HoCo Suspends Library Fines, Keeps Water On During Shutdown
• Maryland Among Hardest Hit By Federal Government Shutdown

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Photo courtesy of Gov. Larry Hogan's office