Photo: MARK FELIX / AFP / Getty Images
In Lexington, Kentucky, a papal missionary distributed $5,000 in gift cards to TSA workers at Blue Grass Airport, supporting them during the partial government shutdown.
Father Jim Sichko, a papal missionary for Pope Leo the 14th, organized the effort in the shutdown's sixth week, impacting thousands of federal employees. His goal is to support workers who continue working without paychecks.
Sichko launched a 24-hour donation campaign that raised $20-thousand in restaurant and Amazon gift cards, which are allowed under regulations that prohibit cash donations to TSA workers.
He started distributing the cards in Cleveland before traveling to Lexington, and he plans to head to Chicago, Atlanta, California, and Louisville next. Sichko personally handed out the cards at the airport and thanked workers for their service.
The shutdown, which stems from disagreements over immigration enforcement, has left many TSA employees without pay, though federal action could restore their pay soon. Sichko says he wanted to show “kindness and mercy” to those affected and expressed hope that the effort would encourage others to help.
Source: WKYT