*Photos courtesy of TSA*
The pandemic has resulted in lost jobs, reduced work hours and lost wages for millions of Americans.
When Lead Transportation Security Manager Bruce Moore learned how this was impacting his hometown of North Plainfield, he decided to do something about it.
“I did not immediately realize how big of an impact the coronavirus was having on families when the pandemic started and how some did not enough money for food for their families,” said Moore, who works at Newark Liberty International Airport. When he did learn of the need, he stepped up.
Moore distributed several donation boxes with help from officers from Terminal A in key locations throughout the airport for TSA employees to donate food items to the cause.
He also arranged a motorcycle ride to raise awareness and encourage donations of non-perishable food items.
Five huge boxes of food items were donated and Moore arranged for them to be picked up for distribution by the local hunger relief network, MEND (Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity), a non-profit interfaith network of 20-member food pantries located throughout Essex County.
“The support for the food drive was strong,” Moore said. “Last year during the government shutdown, the local community supported TSA and we now had this opportunity to show we could provide support as well when the community needed it.”
“I am so impressed by Bruce and his team for doing this,” Tom Carter, TSA Federal Security Director for New Jersey, said. “With all the concerns that exist right now impacting our team, they still had the compassionate sense to look outwards, get beyond their own concerns and help others in need.”