INDIANAPOLIS — Federal workers watched President Donald Trump on the television announce the government would reopen. For them, it's been a difficult and stressful ordeal. On Friday, local federal workers received good news from our nation's leader and a budding leader in the community.
Marva Thompson has worked at the IRS for ten years. She has been through shutdowns before, but says this one was the worst by far.
"We have rent that is due, mortgage that is due at the beginning of the month. And I don't have that," Thompson said.
A few hours later some of that changed. The President announced the shutdown was over, at least for the next three weeks, and Thompson and some of her IRS colleagues applauded that move.
"I'm not worried about a future shutdown. I'm disappointed they are saying three weeks," Cathy Thomas said. "It's better than the two weeks they were proposing. I'm glad that they are gonna get our checks out to us a quickly as possible."
Just like that the landscape was altered.
Friday morning, Thompson and other furloughed workers were in line outside Key Auctioneers waiting to get a $50 Kroger gift card to buy groceries. Thompson said she has a 10-year-old son to feed.
"I'm very appreciative. I'm very grateful. It's been a struggle day to day. But you do what you do," she said.
Key Auctioneers President, Seth Seaton, gave away gift cards because of an idea he heard on the radio.
"There was a church down in Arkansas that had an idea to giveaway grocery store gift cards, and I said, you know, there is no reason we can't do that in Indiana for folks that are federal employees," Seaton said.
His firm was able to help a steady stream of federal employees who presented themselves in the parking lot. A company with a heart came to their rescue. The country followed suit - for now.
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