Furloughed workers in tears as they line up for free sandwiches from celebrity chef Jose Andres

[mfcorey1]

WASHINGTON — Volunteers from celebrity chef Jose Andres' World Central Kitchen fed thousands of people in need on Wednesday, not in some far off flood zone, but right here in Washington at a small store front at the Navy Memorial on Pennsylvania Avenue.

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/politics/furloughed-workers-in-tears-as-they-line-up-for-free-sandwiches-from-celebrity-chef-jose-andres/65-f6c8742f-2371-4f3b-b9bf-40b7e9fc978f

[Laurian]

1. It's like a freakin' third world country.

I’m sure many of these folks are locked into these jobs because of accrued time toward retirement, etc. Working for no pay is a form of slavery. Cruel and unnecessary. I hate that they are going through this because of a man with no morals, empathy or compassion.

Horrible.

[Hekate]

20. I think that Third World is actually the goal

[dubyadiprecession]

2. "making America great again" isn't really working, is it?

It’s more like “turn America into miserable place to live”.

[pazzyanne]

4. You can go ahead and say it.

"It's more like 'turn America into a sh*t hole place to live".

[BSdetect]

3. I had a vision of drumph lining up for a plate of spit stew, in his orange overalls.

[pazzyanne]

5. Love your vision.

Make it so, please!

[Sentath]

6. Learn more & donate here:

https://www.worldcentralkitchen.org/

[akraven]

9. Just did.

I hate this. I hate this so bad. I want that orange asshole GONE. My neighbor (ATC) is okay, we're all seeing to that, she only lives about 2 miles down the hill. But my GAWD, having to line up for free food because an orange asshole decides he needs to showboat?

I understand their tears. But mine are of anger.

[JDC]

26. Thank you

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

7. Better than the hamberders Trump fed Clemson

[BumRushDaShow]

8. I was just down with my sister & family in D.C. for a couple days back in November

and we were on a Big Bus tour that went by that memorial (got a pic of it). It's a big plaza with a bunch of poles configured like "ship masts" with nautical flags, and would be sortof unassuming if you drove past it and didn't know what it was. It's about a mile from the WH.

Had to hunt to see how he got that spot to set up the pop-up kitchen in the adjacent buildings and found this -

Andrés currently runs a test kitchen and private event space called ThinkFoodLab at the location.

https://www.washingtonian.com/2019/01/14/jose-andres-shutdown-pop-up-kitchen-dc-federal-employees/

Kudos to him and his volunteers!

[smirkymonkey]

10. This man should get a Nobel Peace Prize, or something to honor his great contribution to

humanity. He and his volunteers have stepped in numerous times now to give desperate people hope and a free meal. He could easily be one of those people who could just focus on his own "celebrity chef" status but he uses his position to do good in the world. Thank god for these people! It's just unfortunate that the reason they have to do this is so stupid and petty.

[JuJuYoshida]

12. hey man, everyone's situation is different. Back off and be glad it's not you.

It's called compassion Joe

[haele]

13. Kids don't do well in school living on Ramen. And having to pay to get to that non-paying job costs

Kids have to eat and go to school. And some school districts in the DC area don't have free school bus service and don't let the kids just leave school unattended walking or on a bicycle like we had it when we were kids - I'm not even talking about private schools.
Not every government employee has a job that pays well, either. Many lower level employees live in subsidized housing, or depend on federal programs like SNAP or WIC, or commuting subsidies (that pay for the Metropass to get them to and from work) other assistance programs to help make ends meet for their families. They're already living cheaply to begin with - take away their paycheck - and then don't let them apply for unemployment because you're forcing them to work, and it's a disaster.

Math doesn't help when you're being forced to go to a job and suddenly there's no longer a subsidy to pay for that $300 - $500 a month commute to the job you're not getting paid for, and there aren't any other jobs around the area you live that. And you can't file for unemployment to make ends meet if you're working nor can you file for unemployment if you quit.

Whenever I was laid off as a federal contractor, I've never had to face what these people are facing.

Those two conditions alone are $1500 or so a month hit to the savings you're taking that you can't budget or odd-job/Ebay/garage sale your way through.

Put in the requirement to pay for Auto insurance just to be able to drive your paid off clunker without getting it towed by the cops should something happen on your way to and from that non-paying work, rent, and any other required utility bill during the winter months, and you may be looking at more than $3K a month you have to come up with no matter if you're getting paid or not. With little to no option other than tapping into savings or selling off all your possessions. Remember, you're not getting unemployment.
You're being forced to go to work as if you were being paid that $11 - $20 an hour with benefits if you want to keep the job that you hope to be getting back pay for as soon as the shut-down is over.

Theses people are trapped. So yes, they eat for free in the food lines while they're draining their savings and credit cards to keep the roof over their heads, their kids healthy and able to learn, and the minimum of utilities, because who knows, the Government may open up next week, or the week after - depending on how long Mitchie can continue to waste what little political capital he has left running cover for the Orange Tantrum thrower and the Federalist Society.

Haele

[Hermit-The-Prog]

18. thank you!

[LanternWaste]

14. No... it's called projecting your own experience onto everyone else.

"It's called math people."

No... it's called projecting your own experience onto everyone else.

And that ain't math. Or rational.

[Joe941]

16. I don't know there situations exactly but I'm guessing many of those people earn more than I do.

I doubt there is a government job that makes less than me.

[MissB]

17. 72% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck

Be glad you don't.

[MissB]

24. I'm not sure what the point of judging is.

But perhaps you could consider compassion instead. It’s way more rewarding.

[DontBooVote]

25. Hoo-boy...

[marylandblue]

29. Does making poor.choices in the past mean you don't "truly" need help now?

[Joe941]

31. Well..

Obviously everyone makes mistakes and deserves a 2nd chance. But there is an old saying: a failure to plan on your part doesn't constitute an emergency on my part. Obviously we wont let anyone starve or anything, but what do you think? How much should people be protected against themself? Vs having freedom to mess up?

Universal health care would be a good thing but I don't know about universal ... fill in the blank. Just thinking out loud...

[marylandblue]

36. Yes, there's that saying, but

what does it really mean? When someone needs help, do you first ask them if they have a contingency fund? If they say no, do you tell them to come back only when they are "starving?" If they say yes, do you tell them to go spend it first, then starve and come back? What if they just spent all their money on a different emergency last month?

There are so many ways someone can end up in a bad place, some are their own fault and some are not. When they are struggling, it is not the time to criticize their planning. It's time help them where they are at. When the crisis is over, then it's time to tell them to plan better for next time.

[Kali]

37. nice talking points

right?

[moonscape]

19. It illustrates how dramatic the economic divide

has become the last decades. The reality that 40% of Americans cannot cover a $300 emergency is stunning, but where we are and what we need to change, but hey, the 1% got a staggering tax cut ...

[Joe941]

22. I'm all for AOC 70% tax rate.

[DangerousRhythm]

27. It must be wonderful not to have to live

paycheck to paycheck.

Not everyone has that luxury. I sure don’t. I’d be completely fucked. And what’s this about poor choices, bootstraps and such?

Consider yourself very lucky, Joe. It seems you have no clue how lucky you actually are.

[Joe941]

28. I'm far from lucky. I consider myself poor.

Certainly make less than most. Honestly Bernnie would fix it with guaranteed salaries.

[DangerousRhythm]

30. Maybe you should rethink poverty

if you actually believe the poor can live 3 months with no income and then rely on a credit card, setting the thermostat lower and killing cable.

Bernie can’t and won’t fix this. In the meantime, people in a crisis don’t need to be looked down upon for not having thousands of dollars saved up.

[Joe941]

32. Bernnie understands issues like this.

[DangerousRhythm]

33. That's great. It doesn't help the furloughed right now.

[Stinky The Clown]

35. I find your attitude :can't say and still observe the rules:

[Charlotte Little]

38. You're missing something here

If you listen to the woman who's interviewed at the end of the segment say that she's got no change to spare and totally get why, you might also get the point of all of this angst (and need for a free hot meal). The point is that those of us who live paycheck to paycheck know that it doesn't take much longer than one month to be evicted. Rents/Mortgages alone are like having one's leg chained to a concrete pillar. You're stuck or in the streets (if you have no one to help you - many don't). Missing one paycheck when you're told that it could be months or even years before you get paid means hording every dime you have.

These Americans don't know what to do. They would like to keep the job many of them have worked at for years. Leaving would mean passing up on retirement benefits. So, they stay but without pay. Now, imagine if the government shutdown goes on for weeks or even months (if years, then America will actually be a third world country). This possibility will force some of these folks to quit and find other jobs- which takes time. Unemployment benefits are measly and don't pay the rent. So what if, while looking for a new job, you blow through your savings. Then what? I know that I fear being homeless almost more than anything else. I think most of these folks have a similar, very universal fear.

They are facing a void and are scared (and stressed) out of their minds. If what you say is true about you being poor, then why are you being harsh? I find that odd, actually.

[Cousin Dupree]

39. Don't criticize these people. You don't know what their situations are. There are so many that live

paycheck to paycheck through no fault of their own.

[backtoblue]

40. Try living on disability...

One check away from being homeless.

Alot of people don't have a way to save for being out of work for a few weeks, or longer.

[Cha]

15. ..

[lpbk2713]

21. And the GOP Extortion Program of 2018 - 2019 rolls on.

Trump and the other assholes have plenty of food on their plates, so they don't really GAF.

[bdamomma]

34. If you get a chance

watch Bill Maher, he explains this very well. It's very sad and true. We, as the Middle Class (disappearing) have been getting squeezed for a very long time. This is what the Koch Brothers wanted.

Remember have people received an increase on their minimum wages??? And now IRS refund checks are going to delayed. Repigs don't pay their taxes. Look at that POS Trump, have we seen his tax forms???