The Sikh community in Phoenix donated $11,000 worth of gift cards to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers in the region who were impacted by the weeks-long government shutdown as they worked without pay.
Suminder Singh Sodhi told the Washington Examiner Thursday that the Sikh community in the region that he heads held a private fundraiser and used the proceeds to buy $11,000 worth of gift cards to grocery stores and gas stations that were gifted to the TSA union.
{mosads}”Collectively, we raised funds within a week to help our TSA workers who have not gotten paid for 35 days,” he said.
The total donations came from roughly 40 people. The union then dispersed the sum into $20 increments for the employees.
TSA told the news outlet it has 950 uniformed TSA workers in Phoenix and 1,200 total in the state.
The Sikh community held an informal gathering Wednesday night where it handed an oversized check to the TSA symbolizing the donation.
“Very much in our Sikh community, it talks about giving back and helping those in need,” Anjleen Kaur Gumer, a member of the Phoenix Sikh community, told Arizona Central.
Federal workers went five weeks without pay due to the partial government shutdown that ended last week. Workers are slated to receive back pay for the time worked no later than Saturday.