TSA workers receive donations from local church members

TSA workers at Palm Springs International Airport received several donations today, courtesy of a local church, who spent the week collecting what they could.

As workers anticipate missing a second paycheck because of the government shutdown, concerned residents delivered trunk-loads of non-perishable foods and toiletries this afternoon. Members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Desert in Rancho Mirage also donated around a thousand dollars in cash and gas cards.

Joni Paddock and her husband spearheaded the idea.

“I just brought a little cardboard sign to church on Sunday, set up a table on the patio and people came by and gave money and gave toiletries and food and when people saw it on the news last night, it just kind of caught on and when people saw it on the news last night it just spurred some more people to come donate,” Paddock said.

Barbie Smart was one of those people. She told News Channel 3 she heard about the donation drive and starting collecting goods from her neighbors and her local grocery store.

“Food 4 Less was so gracious, I went and picked up five cases, a few cases of food. We’re here to help, we’re here to bring this country together,” Smart said.

Paddock said this won’t be their last drop off and will support the TSA workers until the shutdown is over.