Flushing, Queens Image by wikicommons

As the government shutdown reaches its fourth week, the Flushing Jewish Community Council in Queens, New York, has started feeding federal employees and their families, donating boxes of food items and hot dinners, Queens News and Community (QNS) reported.

The council is distributing food at a local synagogue, Temple Beth Sholom. Paul Engel, executive director of FJCC, told QNS that the organization has items such as canned fruits, canned vegetables, cereal, pasta, tuna fish and salmon.

“Mostly the people that come are Medicaid people, but I saw that there’s a food pantry in Long Island that is doing this,” Engel said. “There are people who could probably use some temporary relief, since they’re not getting paychecks and we also offer other services.”

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FJCC is also providing services such as English classes, ESL/civics class and individual, couple, family and group therapy.

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.

Alyssa Fisher is a news writer at the Forward. Email her at [email protected], or follow her on Twitter at @alyssalfisher

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