The federal government has been shut down since October 1, and federal workers are feeling the effects of not getting paid. Syracuse Hancock International Airport tried to alleviate some of that stress by hosting a food drive Wednesday.
People donated paper products, gift cards and other items beyond food. Organizers say the drive was organized simply out of gratitude for the federal employees and the public wanting to help.
“We’re now officially in the longest government shutdown in the history of our country. And people know that our federal employees here at the airport, they’re feeling the stress right now. So we’ve had a multitude of inquiries from the public saying, ‘hey, how can we help out,’ ” said Matt Szwejbka, the customer experience manager for the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority…