FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — Federal workers across Middle Tennessee are facing financial uncertainty as a government shutdown leaves thousands without paychecks, but local organizations are stepping up to provide emergency assistance.
One Generation Away, a Franklin-based nonprofit, is offering no-questions-asked food boxes to federal employees who find themselves unexpectedly needing food assistance during the shutdown.
"Your house payment doesn't stop. The grocery bills don't stop. The gas in the car doesn't stop," Chris Whitney said.
Whitney, founder of One Generation Away, has prepared trucks and resources to help both furloughed federal workers and those who are required to work without pay during the shutdown.
"These are people that have to still go to work but aren't gonna get a paycheck for a while," Whitney said.
The Franklin-based nonprofit operates mobile food pantries and delivery services, and recently assisted with disaster relief efforts in East Tennessee following Hurricane Helene.
"No qualifying questions. All you have to do is show up. Thirty to thirty-five years ago my wife and I were in a food line," Whitney said.
One Generation Away has experience helping federal workers during government shutdowns. In 2019, the organization provided crucial support during a similar situation.
"We had an IRS office here in Cool Springs and 150 of those 300 employees came to us to get food. They went 38 or 40 days without a paycheck," Whitney said.
The organization provides comprehensive food assistance, including both immediate snacks and substantial meal components.
"We're gonna give 'em snacks, real food, like pasta, pasta sauce, green beans, corn, pinto beans, peanut butter," Whitney said.
Whitney emphasized the personal connection his organization strives to make with those seeking help.
"Somebody cares enough about you to look you in the eye and say, 'here is something I can do to help you right now,'" Whitney said.
Federal workers needing assistance can visit One Generation Away's Franklin warehouse, which is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The organization also needs volunteers for packing and loading, and accepts donations where just $1 funds five meals.
Are you a federal worker affected by the shutdown, or do you know of other organizations helping during this crisis? Share your story or tips with Kim Rafferty at kim.rafferty@NewsChannel5.com and help us continue covering how Middle Tennessee communities support each other during challenging times.
In this article, we used artificial intelligence to help us convert a video news report originally written by Kim Rafferty. When using this tool, both Kim and the NewsChannel 5 editorial team verified all the facts in the article to make sure it is fair and accurate before we published it. We care about your trust in us and where you get your news, and using this tool allows us to convert our news coverage into different formats so we can quickly reach you where you like to consume information. It also lets our journalists spend more time looking into your story ideas, listening to you and digging into the stories that matter.
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