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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — The federal government is officially shut down, and thousands of Tennesseans are already feeling the impact.

More than 32,000 federal employees across the state are affected, many of them required to continue working without pay until the shutdown ends. At the same time, SNAP, WIC, and USDA recipients could face hardship if funding runs out after October.

Among those hit hardest are TSA officers. Devin Rayford, a frontline TSA agent in Memphis and president of the TSA union Local 555, said morale is already slipping as workers report to airports without pay.

“Nobody wants to come to work and not get paid. We’re the front line. I love it, but we’re doing the work and I feel like we should get paid for it,” Rayford said.

Rayford represents officers at more than 17 airports across Tennessee, Alabama, and South Carolina. He said younger workers are especially vulnerable.

“Some of them don’t know what to do. They paid this month’s bills, but they don’t know if they’ll be able to make it next month,” he explained. “The bills still keep coming in, and you still have to provide for your family.”

The Congressional Budget Office estimates up to 750,000 federal workers nationwide could be furloughed or working without pay each day during the shutdown.

Local nonprofits are bracing for a surge in need. One Generation Away, a Franklin-based food bank, has already distributed more than 11 million pounds of food this year across five states. Founder and CEO Chris Whitney said his team is preparing to support federal employees who never expected to need food assistance.

“We know we’ve got something that will not just feed their bellies but will give them a little peace of mind and that chance to go, ‘alright, I can do this, I can get to the other side,’” Whitney said.

OneGenAway says distribution will be “no questions asked” to remove stigma. Food boxes typically include pantry staples like pasta, cereal, beans, and peanut butter, along with fresh produce.

Boxes are available at the nonprofit’s Franklin warehouse Monday through Friday, and through mobile pantries on Saturday mornings. Whitney said the group is prepared to serve anywhere from 50 to 500 families, depending on how long the shutdown lasts.

Other food banks, including Second Harvest of Middle Tennessee, say they are also preparing to meet increased demand. Both groups are asking for volunteers and donations to keep the safety net strong until federal paychecks resume.

For a list of upcoming mobile pantry locations or to learn how to volunteer, visit onegenaway.com.

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