NeighborImpact responded with more than $5,000 in gift cards to help local TSA officers and their families keep groceries on the table and everyday essentials within reach while pay remains disrupted.
At Redmond Municipal Airport, a partial federal government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security has meant TSA officers continue reporting to work without pay—putting pressure on everyday expenses like groceries, gas, and housing.
Redmond Municipal Airport recently launched a community donation drive to support staff working without pay since the disruption began on Feb. 14. The airport is collecting nonperishable food, household essentials and gift cards.
NeighborImpact’s support included 70 gift cards valued at $75 each — one for each of the roughly 70 TSA employees affected.
The officers impacted are part of the daily infrastructure that keeps Central Oregon connected—supporting business travel, family travel, medical travel and tourism—while also managing the same rising costs and tight budgets many households face. A disruption like a delayed paycheck can quickly cascade into late fees, missed rent payments, tough grocery decisions and higher stress for families who are already budgeting closely.
“NeighborImpact is here to help people stay steady when circumstances change,” said Scott Cooper, executive director of NeighborImpact. “These are working households dealing with a sudden gap in income outside of their control. In moments like this, a local response can help families bridge the gap.”
NeighborImpact supports people and strengthens communities with steady services across Central Oregon, and with the flexibility to respond when urgent needs emerge. That flexibility has mattered in moments like last summer’s Flat Fire and last fall’s SNAP benefit disruptions, when traditional timelines or funding structures lagged behind real-time community need.
This kind of response is made possible through flexible community support, which allows NeighborImpact to act quickly and locally when unexpected challenges arise—alongside its ongoing work in housing, food, energy assistance, child care, and other essential services. NeighborImpact is grateful to Jersey Boys Pizzeria for hosting a fundraiser day in support of this effort, and to the community members who made targeted gifts to help purchase the gift cards.
How to help: Community members who would like to support TSA workers can contribute to the airport’s donation drive with nonperishable food, household essentials or gift cards at the airport’s badging office across from baggage claim.
