Food bank in central Pa. boosts service as federal workers miss paychecks

More than 12,000 Pennsylvanians aren't getting paid during the shutdown

• Katie Meyer
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  Katie Meyer was WITF’s Capitol Bureau Chief from 2016-2020. While at WITF, she covered all things state politics for public radio stations throughout Pennsylvania. Katie came to Harrisburg by way of New York City, where she worked at Fordham University’s public radio station, WFUV, as an anchor, general assignment reporter, and co-host of an original podcast. A 2016 graduate of Fordham, she earned several awards for her work at WFUV, including four 2016 Gracies.
  
  Katie is a native New Yorker, though she originally hails from Troy, a little farther up the Hudson River. She can attest that the bagels are still pretty good there.
  
  WITF's Capitol Bureau Chief Desk is partially funded through generous gifts made in the memory of Tony May through the Anthony J. May Memorial Fund.
  
  For more information about Tony May, click here.

 Michael Rubinkam / The Associated Press

FILE PHOTO: In this photo taken May 19, 2017, bags of food packed by volunteers at the Backpack Buddies program are seen at Second Harvest Food Bank in Nazareth.

(Harrisburg) — The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank is launching extra services for federal employees struggling during ongoing government shutdown furloughs.

Starting this Tuesday afternoon, they’re giving out food packages at two central warehouses from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Thousands of federal employees in the commonwealth missed their first paychecks of the shutdown last Friday.

Joe Arthur, who runs the Central PA Food Bank, said that probably means some are hitting a financial breaking point.

“We wanted to get on this quickly and have a plan ready, because these families are going to be really worried,” he said. “We assume that this week would be the week where people really start to feel in crisis and reach out.”

More than 12,000 Pennsylvanians aren’t getting paid during the shutdown.

Arthur said it’s hard to know what demand will be like. He’s taking hints from previous state shutdowns, like one in 2009 when hundreds of people showed up every day for food.

The food bank serves 27 counties in total. Typically, its hubs in Harrisburg and Williamsport source, purchase, and distribute food.

For the rest of the shutdown, they’ll be maintaining their usual operations while giving out food to any furloughed person who comes with their work ID.

“That’s actually a pretty substantial undertaking,” Arthur said. “The good news is, we have the food…Our team will work extra hours, we’ll have more volunteer help, and we’ll get it done.”