Another school district is stepping up to help families impacted by the partial government shutdown.
Atlanta Public School said it estimates about 300 to 500 of its employees, full-time and part-time, may have a spouse, partner or household member employed by one of the federal agencies affected by the shutdown.
"Many federal employees and contractors, some of them family members of APS employees, are facing the impacts of the federal government shutdown, and we want to do all we can to help,” said APS Superintendent Dr. Meria J. Carstarphen. “A vast majority of Americans simply can’t make it very long without receiving their regular paychecks. We want to do all we can to help bridge the gap for our employees who need that assistance.”
There are several ways APS employees can help their co-workers are are directly impacted.
They suggested setting up Meal Train accounts for families or making a donation to the APS GoFundMe page that was set up to help furloughed workers. They said the money will be distributed though Atlanta Partners for Education to eligible employees.
They also said you can drop off food items to the Atlanta Community Food Bank or ask furloughed spouses to work as a substitute teacher for the district, which would allow them to return to their federal jobs when the shutdown ends.
Just last week, Marietta City Schools extended an offer for parents who are impacted by the government shutdown to apply for jobs within the district. Other organizations and groups are also stepping up to help.
Tuesday, Jan. 22, marked day 32 of the shutdown. If it doesn't end before Friday, workers will miss out on their second paycheck.
Get more information on other ways to take part of the APS initiative here.