Amy Poulter The Virginian-Pilot
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office will provide free meals starting Monday to federal workers and their families impacted by the ongoing government shutdown.
According to a news release, any federal worker — working with or without pay — can have dinner with a deputy. Participants will need to bring their federal work IDs with them.
“We recognize a need in our community and we’re stepping up to meet it,” Sheriff Ken Stolle said in the release. “This is an opportunity for us to break bread together and, more importantly, help those in need who want to work, but can’t, or are working without pay and are worried about feeding their families.
“If we can ease that worry for a few nights a week, that’s what we’re going to do.”
The free meals will be served from 5-7 p.m. at the Law Enforcement Training Academy, located at 411 Integrity Way on the following dates if the shutdown continues: Jan. 21-22, 28, 30; Feb. 1.
After that, additional dates for free meals will be announced on the office’s Facebook and Twitter.
The meals are a donation from the Summit Food Service, which also provides food services to the Virginia Beach Correctional Center.
“We’re grateful for Summit’s generosity, which is making this program possible, and call on our community to step up to keep it going if the shutdown persists,” Stolle said in the release. “We will keep feeding these families until federal workers start getting paid.”
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©2019 The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Va.)
