BASTROP, Texas — A few residents in Bastrop are trying to help out employees at the Federal Correctional Institution in town by taking donations outside of the Allstop Foodmart on Chesnut Street.
One correctional officer told KVUE they're worried some workers will struggle to make ends meet.
Kathy Briggs and Joe Medina are organizing the fundraiser at a table outside the Allstop Foodmart.
They're asking for any kind of donations -- everything from food to paper towels, even food for pets. Every single one of the items collected will help someone during the government shutdown.
"Would you show up at your job with no pay? I don't know many people that would," Briggs said. "We need to take care of each other."
Briggs and Medina said some people have showed up simply handing over cash as a donation.
"We're also taking HEB cards, Walmart cards -- anything you wanna donate primarily for groceries," Briggs said.
They said it's a way to pay it forward.
"There's a lot of people in the community that have blessed me in more ways than one and when there's an opportunity to help somebody back, I try to do it," Medina said.
They're focusing on humanity instead of politics.
"This has nothing to do with whether or not you're Democrat, Republican, Liberal, whatever. It has nothing to do with that," Briggs said. "It's humanitarian."
Donation boxes will be inside the Allstop Foodmart throughout the week if you want to drop off any items.