News for North Texas
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Shutdown Prompts Food Donations For Federal Workers

Associated Press
As many as 200 federal workers at Dallas Love Field were treated to a free lunch Friday.

As many as 200 federal workers at Dallas Love Field have been treated to hot dogs and hamburgers donated by members of the city's aviation department during the partial government shutdown.

Department spokesman Chris Perry says Friday's free lunch was meant to help federal workers on duty at the Dallas-owned airport but not getting paid. The lunch benefited TSA, Federal Aviation Administration and Customs and Border Protection employees.

Perry says members of the aviation department donated money or food to support the federal workers amid the government shutdown that began Dec. 22.

A grill was set up outside the terminal but inside the airport fence line. Food was provided in a break room used by federal workers on various shifts.

About $500 was donated to help buy groceries.

In Houston, federal workers who've been furloughed due to the partial government shutdown got some free barbecue thanks to a popular local restaurant.

Killen's Barbecue served free family packs of brisket, sausage, potato salad and beans to hundreds of federal workers who lined up at the suburban Houston restaurant on Friday.

The restaurant ran out of food to give away in less than two hours.

Owner Ronnie Killen told KHOU-TV that "it hurts my heart to see that there are that many people affected by what's going on."

Killen said he'll continue giving away food on Fridays until the shutdown ends.

Gerald Steward, who works for NASA, told the television station he supports what President Donald Trump is doing and the free food means he "won't go hungry today."