PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Phoenix Sky Harbor is asking the public for help as airport employees are going without pay amid a partial government shutdown.
Airport officials announced on Tuesday that they will be accepting donations to support federal employees working without pay. March is the airport’s busiest month as many travelers are looking to get out of town for spring break.
Over the weekend, some Transportation Security Administration employees missed their first full paycheck due to a Department of Homeland Security funding lapse.
To help affected workers, Sky Harbor is requesting the public donate the following items:
- Non-perishable, pre-packaged food that can be distributed
- Gift cards in denominations of $20 or less for gas and groceries; Fry’s, Walmart, Costco, QuikTrip, etc.
- Hygiene items and baby essentials, such as diapers, wipes, and formula
No cash or Visa, American Express or Mastercard gift cards will be accepted.
Officials say the public can donate at the Compassion Corner, located before security in Terminal 4, near the elevator bank next to the B Security Checkpoint. It is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Parking will be validated for those who drop off items.
The donation center will be open until the partial shutdown ends. Anyone with questions is encouraged to contact skyharbor@phoenix.gov.
The partial shutdown has affected airports across the country. Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport said about a third of security screeners didn’t show up to work this week. More than half of the TSA staff at William P. Hobby Airport in Houston were absent last week.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that 300 TSA agents have quit their jobs so far, and the number of TSA agent “callouts” has doubled from what they were before the shutdown.
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