WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — The shutdown is now sparking a "National Call for Action." Chef José Andrés is looking for food trucks and restaurants across the country to sign-up with their World Central Kitchen #ChefsForFeds effort.
He wants to feed furloughed employees across the country.
In D.C., WCK also opened a resource center so furloughed workers in need can have access to items like child papers and feminine products.
RELATED: Furloughed workers in tears as they line up for free sandwiches from celebrity chef Jose Andres
WCK's operation has been open for a week now, but the lines haven't gotten any shorter.
Lindsey Bestebreurtje told WUSA9 the following:
"It just really feels as if they don’t care. They don’t care about us. I mean, allegedly this administration is supposed to be helping the economy. Does my job not matter? Does my credit score not matter? My husband and I were hoping to buy our first family home but we’re kind of no longer in a position to look. So it’s delayed our plans and our family’s future.”
Bestebreurtje said as a contractor, she'll miss out on not two, but three paychecks.
World Central Kitchen Lead Chef, Tim Kilcoyne, said since opening last Wednesday their team has served a little over 27,000 meals.
One of the men to walk out with a bag was Bryce Smedley.
“Within four weeks, we’ve gone from productive workers serving the public good to waiting in breadlines to get donations to make ends-meet,” said Smedley.
Shavondalyn Givens also waited in the long line on Wednesday.
“In D.C. there’s so many federal workers and so many folks who aren’t being paid right now so, there’s a lot of people who are, you know, being able to be helped by them,” said Givens. “The huge get was getting the free diapers.”
Bestebreurje said before leaving, “I love my job. I’ve been working for the Federal Government in some capacity for the last decade. And I earned my PhD in History with the specific hope of working to tell America’s story on the federal level because I think that educating the public about our past is exceptionally important. Maybe we haven’t done our job because I don’t think that they would allow this to happen if people understood.”