An Arizona food bank is distributing food to furloughed workers at the Grand Canyon, trucking in 600 food boxes on Tuesday and making another delivery on Friday after a plea for help from Rev. Patrick Dotson of the Grand Canyon Community Church:



"Even if the government shutdown lasts two weeks, that is an entire paycheck lost to many employees who live paycheck-to-paycheck to provide food and necessities for their families," Dotson wrote to a Phoenix-area nonprofit called the St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance. "I anticipate a great need for food resources beyond my ability to supply from my garage food bank."

The 2,200 furloughed park workers are not the only ones struggling; businesses near the park entrance are also being hit hard by the loss of tourist traffic. According to Dotson , "local concessionaires are supporting their furloughed employees and their families by providing free rent and limited meal support." Still, the loss of income hitting the entire community is making outside help important. Piling on, St. Mary's Food Bank is stepping in despite already facing shortages

It's just staggering that people who have jobs to do, who want to work, and whose workplace should be a thriving tourist destination are instead left waiting for food bank deliveries. Good job, Republicans!