Posted on 01/15/2019 11:06:23 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
Federal workers -- who haven't seen paychecks since before the government closed on Dec. 22 -- are lining up at food pantries across the U.S.
The Capital Area Food Bank, which operates in the Washington, D.C. area, hosted five pop-up food pantry locations after federal workers -- who missed their paychecks for the first time last Friday -- flooded the organization's "Hunger Lifeline" with calls for help, according to President and CEO Radha Muthiah.
Hotline representatives direct callers to the food pantries closest to their homes, and help make them aware of supplementary nutrition alternatives.
"We have seen an uptick in the number of calls from individuals who weren't traditionally clients to better understand the emergency food assistance network in our area should the shutdown persist," Muthiah told CBS. "Typically, SNAP [food stamps] recipients are the ones that come to food pantries but what we did this weekend was targeted to federal workers and contractors who typically earn more income but had missed paychecks," she said.
Workers were grateful for the extra assistance but fearful that it might not last as long as they need it to, she said. "The most common question we heard was, 'Can we count on you to be here next weekend?'"
Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America, says this food bind is illustrative of "how many Americans are only one missed paycheck away from hunger."
He said the shutdown could become an "epic calamity" for hungry Americans should it last even another week.
"For most people pantries are a last resort. This is something that never should happen in a rational, reasonable world," he said. "But as long as this is happening we will make sure federal employees and contractors who are serving us don't go hungry."
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
According to news, “Private sector employees in all industries reported an average salary of $44,600 per year. During the same period, government workers reported an average annual salary of $51,840 — $7,240 per year more than private-sector employees.”
So they have no savings to go 3 to 4 weeks without a paycheck knowing they will get paid when this is over. Living beyond their means?
Phoney baloney “crisis”.
I fed my family on very little with lots of beans and cornbread, potatoes in various forms and homemade biscuits, pies and cakes and such in the 80’s,90’s and early 2000’s. Inexpensive meats such as chicken and cubed steak can be caught on sale and yummy soup can be made out of the leftovers. We still ate very well on a construction worker’s (who was out of work quite often) pay. People are so spoiled and just ignorant of how to cope with hard times nowadays.
Ask anyone who lost their job, their house, or their business when Obama shut down drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.
President Trump tweet out perhaps Nancy Pelosi can donate her paycheck like I did why is she still getting paid and they are suffering at her expense? Oh not to mention her wall.
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Maybe instead of squandering lobbyist dollars on junkets to Puerto Rico in the Winter, the Dems could lend a hand with some food donations to the needy.
Haha! now that’s funny there! More like ‘payroll recipients’
Maybe we could educate them to be preppers?
If they are too stupid to save some out of their checks for a rainy day do we need them to be telling US how to live?????????? We in the private sector have to do that. Why don’t they? Too much job security?
This is bringing them down to our level of living.
78% of everyone is living paycheck to paycheck.
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Self-employed. Shipments and net 30 invoices delayed about a week from end of December to beginning of February due to holidays and weather. We had self-employment taxes due end of December so we could deduct them from income for tax purposes. Real estate taxes due Jan. 31. Had make the January food run essentials only. Have to dip into savings for taxes and bills. Emergency pantry is in our own closet. We net far less than $78k. No mortgage. No car payment except for some repairs we had to charge. Stove died. 1st payment (6 month no interest) due after next invoice is paid.
They had no tears for us in 2008-2016. Business didn’t show a rebound until late 2017. I hate everything they stand for and everything they’ve done.
I do not care.
Oh stop it already, most government workers could lose a couple of pounds
I guess America’s fed workers are not models of good financial planning, eh?
The average person working for the Federal Government living from pay day to pay day is living well above their means and to me that is their fault! I have always had to live within my means because I had others depending upon my judgment!
Absolutely!
“People are so spoiled and just ignorant of how to cope with hard times nowadays.”
Amen to THAT, Sister! In my retirement I really wanted to teach people how to budget and fed themselves economically, teach others to cook, etc.
Those in my small town already have those skills; those that NEED those skills aren’t the least little bit interested.
*SHRUG*
I’m so glad I grew up with two Grandmas and a Mom & Aunties that cooked, baked, sewed, canned, grew a garden, etc.
Most of these government “workers” are parasites. Mainly, they sneer at Citizens who must come into their offices, despise President Trump and love every nitwit LIB idea to come down the pike. Most could lose quite a few pounds from what I’ve sen. Maybe they should quit and get a REAL job??? But, then, what business owner in their right mind would hire them?
Didn’t they get checks on Dec 28-—for prior time worked?
Is there ANYTHING the media can get straight???
They need to go to Taco Bell and get on the two tacos a day plan. Plus Taco Bell has great hot sauce packets they can rob and take home to make delicious soups.
Here’s a more current/2018 chart:
https://www.govexec.com/pay-benefits/2018/12/see-who-would-get-furloughed-christmas-shutdown/153524/
Typical dem mentality.
No preparation.
It’s not like the impending shutdown was a secret or happened unexpectedly.
I could go a month without going to the store under very ordinary circumstances. If I knew something was on the horizon, I’d have even more prepped up
SEE-BS has been pushing this harsh shutdown pretty well. 2nd article today posted here about the “hardships” our gubmit workers are facing.
MAGA = BUILD THE WALL
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