As Transportation Security Administration workers prepare for another week of working for no pay, Golden Triangle Regional Airport’s doors are opening to receive donations from community members looking to support their local agents.
The partial shutdown, which started 44 days ago, has paused funding to certain federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and Transportation, under which TSA functions, leaving TSA workers across the country without a paycheck.
Despite going more than 40 days without a paycheck, GTRA Executive Director Matt Dowell said local agents continue to show up to work.
“I’ve been extremely impressed with the professionalism and dedication to the job, taking care of the airport, the passengers and their own communities is really what they’re doing,” Airport Director Matt Dowell told The Dispatch. “It’s been obviously a hardship to not receive pay, and so the fact that they continue to show up and do that dedicated job for our community to keep everyone safe, I’ve been so impressed.”
During the government shutdown last fall, Dowell said the airport received several requests from community members interested in donating to support local TSA agents. But at the time, he said there wasn’t a lot of federal guidance about what agents could accept.
TSA recently provided more guidance on what support agents are allowed to accept, Dowell said, leading to the push for community support.
“We’ve basically been that contact point and coordination point and trying to give (TSA agents) guidance that we’ve received from TSA as far as what they’re allowed to take,” he said.
Community members interested in supporting local TSA agents can by donating goods or gift cards to grocery stores and gas stations or pre-paid debit cards. Gift cards must be $20 or less to comply with federal guidelines.
Gift cards as well as canned goods can be dropped off either at the airport or at the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau office at 117 Third St. S.
The airport will also accept deliveries of prepared perishable foods from 10 a.m. to noon on Mondays and Thursdays. Deliveries can be dropped off at the airport terminal.
McRae is a general assignment and education reporter for The Dispatch.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
