De Blasio Warns Of ‘Full-Blown Crisis’ For New Yorkers On Food Stamps If Shutdown Continues

By Jillian Jorgensen and Marco Poggio, January 17, 2019

Alexander Rapaport, executive director of the Masbia Soup Kitchen Network, said city food pantries like his are already feeling the effects of the shutdown — with the arrival of out-of-work federal employees who missed their first paychecks this month.

“It takes a lot of time for a person that receives a regular paycheck to become psychologically at peace to come for charity handouts — but we are already seeing this week a trickle of federal employees, new faces, and people who saw our outreach material, coming in. So this means it is hitting people fast,” he said.

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Government Workers Still Don’t Have A Salary Due To The Shutdown. American Businesses Are Helping Them Out

Companies are giving away free meals, beer, and knitting classes to furloughed workers.

By Chavie Lieber, January 17, 2019

In New York, volunteers with Masbia, a network of soup kitchens across New York that also hands out food packages on Thursdays, gave out fliers to TSA agents at John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports, letting them know they could eat for free and pick up groceries at Masbia.

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Shutdown Specials In Brooklyn

By Kadia Goba, January 16, 2019

The non-profit food pantry Masbia Flatbush and Masbia Boro Park extended their hours for federal employees to offer food relief. Executive Director Alexander Rapaport and staffer went to Laguardia to pass out flyers to TSA workers Monday. They’re looking for volunteers to go to JFK tomorrow to spread the word.
“All my childhood I was brought up with my grandmother telling me stories how she risked her life every day during the Holocaust in the concentration camps to find food for other people,” Rapaport said. “That’s become my DNA, my oxygen. Giving out some flyers that’s easy.”

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Brooklyn Businesses Offer Specials To Gov’t Workers Affected By Shutdown

By Raanan Geberer, January 17, 2019

Masbia Flatbush and Masbia Boro Park, both of them part of a kosher food pantry organization, are extending their hours for federal employees. Executive Director Alexander Rapaport and staffers visited LaGuardia Airport and passed out flyers to Transportation Safety Administration workers, said Bklyner.

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Queens Organizations Donate Food To Federal Employees During Government Shutdown

By Carlotta Mohamed, January 18, 2019

At Masbia of Queens — a nonprofit soup kitchen network and food pantry located at 105 64th Rd #47 in Forest Hills — federal employees are welcomed to pick up hot delicious meals and groceries.

“It takes time for the middle-class person without a paycheck to make the psychological switch to take charity,” said Rapaport. “I don’t think we have seen many yet, but we also have a no questions asked policy.”

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Flushing, Forest Hills Organizations Providing Free Food To Federal Employees During Government Shutdown

By Meghan Sackman, January 18, 2019

Over in Forest Hills, Masbia of Queens, the nonprofit soup kitchen and food pantry, has been spreading the word of their available services to federal employees around the city.

The soup kitchen at 64th Road has already been providing free dinners to those in need five nights on week, and will now donate boxes of groceries to federal employees and contractors.

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Flushing Jewish Community Council And Forest Hills Masbia Donate Food To Federal Employees During Government Shutdown

By Carlotta Mohamed, January 14, 2019

The soup kitchen, with two other locations in Brooklyn, is serving hot sit-in dinners including bread, beverages, soup and a main with two sides and dessert. Condiments such as pickles, ketchup, and mustard are usually available, according to Alexander Rapaport, executive director of Masbia.

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Community Mobilizing To Aid Federal Workers

UJA-Fed. approves $5 million in loans for those caught in shutdown; Met Council, other groups stepping up.

By Stewart Ain, January 23, 2019

Among the other Jewish organizations helping affected federal employees are Met Council, the many Jewish community center food pantries and Masbia, a network of food pantries and soup kitchens in the city. Alexander Rapaport, Masbia’s executive director, said he and his volunteers went to LaGuardia and Kennedy airports last week to meet with TSA agents and inform them about his organization.

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Here’s How To Help Furloughed Government Workers

Sara Hendricks, January 21, 2019

Food banks: You can help out DC-area food banks by donating to Capital Area Food Bank’s Hunger Lifeline and So Others Might Eat. Masbia is aiding those in New York City and World Central Kitchen is helping to provide meals to federal employees nationwide. You can also check your local papers to see which food banks are providing assistance to government workers.

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Hungry Furloughed Families Get Hot Meals And Groceries From Queens Jewish Group

By Alyssa Fisher, January 16, 2019

Masbia of Queens, a nonprofit soup kitchen and food pantry, is also offering hot meals and groceries, according to QNS. Its two other locations in Brooklyn will also have sit-down dinners.

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Overheard Conversation Prompts NYC Restaurateur To Offer Free Meals To Federal Workers

By Natalie Chinn, January 23, 2019

Federal workers can also get a $20 credit at Rocco’s Tacos in Brooklyn, free hot dinner and groceries at Masbia Soup Kitchen and food and beer at Mikkeller Brewing.

Read the full article here.