Shutdown help: Muslim nonprofit donates 100 lunches to TSA agents at Sacramento airport
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Shutdown help: Muslim nonprofit donates 100 lunches to TSA agents at Sacramento airport
By David A. Bustamante, The Sacramento Bee , January 22 2019
© Mohammed Khader/Muslim Community of Folsom/TNS Mohammed Khader (third from center) stand s with TSA agents and the Muslim Community of Folsom volunteers outside of the Sacramento International Airport, Jan. 21, 2019. His group donated 100 meals to TSA officials at SMF.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - With the federal government partially shut down and TSA workers going weeks without paychecks, members of the nonprofit group Muslim Community of Folsom came up with a simple gesture to show they care: They bought the agents lunch Monday.
Mohammed Khader, the president of the organization, and his group bought 100 box lunches for TSA agents and delivered them to Terminal A and Terminal B around 11:30 a.m. It made an impact, Khader said.
"One TSA agent cried because of the gesture. They were thankful. They said that it felt like somebody cared for them in their time of need," Khader said.
It's been 31 days since the partial government shutdown began and TSA agents across the country are still working without pay because of their essential status.
That's begun to take a toll on both travelers and the agents, according to the Associated Press. There are longer security lines at some airports, less TSA agents on hand and the financial burden on TSA agents, alongside other furloughed government employees, getting worse.
"These people, even though they are not getting paid, they still come and help our community to make us safe. I think we need to appreciate them, because they're not caring about the shutdown and are still working," Khader said.
Zaid Akhter, a member of the board for the nonprofit, said that this was an easy way to support the agents who are bearing the burden of the shutdown.
"I just feel sad that there's a lot of people working hard and not getting paid, they're the ones suffering ... (we thought) 'Hey wouldn't this be a great way to help out.'" Akhter said.
Khader and Akhter said this is just one way that their group supports the community. Their volunteers visit senior living communities to keep those without family near company, and their mosque provided shelter for the homeless during the holiday season.
"We are all a part of the same community, if they need help, we'll help. And if we need help, they'll help us," Khader said.
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"A friend in need is a friend indeed."
Kudos to them.
So many fine organizations and individuals have stepped up. We as a people have to step in to care about the people that Washington could care less about.
ALL of them ?
I think we're gonna need help.
As many as we can. I have been buying food for a friend who has been affected by the shut down.
They and this is the best of what it means to be an American.
Not all the partisan noise.
The being there for each other.
Good on them and all those like them.
Great article Buzz.
Thanks.
E.
Nice people. Good on them.