TAMPA, Fla. — With no end in sight to the longest federal government shutdown in US history, Tampa Bay area companies are stepping up to help furloughed workers.
Here is a list of businesses offering help:
- Gabby Q Cuts, 2310 Tall Pines Drive, Suite #220, Largo offering free hair cuts to U.S. Coast Guard members by appointment
- LFL Nutrition, 2310 Tall Pines Drive, Suite #220, Largo offering free nutrition shakes to U.S. Coast Guard members
- Humane Society of Tampa Bay, 3607 N. Armenia Ave., Tampa offering free pet food for furloughed federal workers
- Sky Zone Tampa, 10137 E. Adamo Dr., Suite 800 B, Tampa offering free jumps to federal government employees currently without pay
- Sips Wine Bar, Safety Harbor, offering free glass of wine and sweet treat to furloughed federal workers
- Beau and Mo's Chicago-style Steakhouse, St. Petersburg, free sandwiches for furloughed workers
- The Florida Orchestra offering free tickets to furloughed government employees for Schubert concerts
- Airbnb to offer $110 for any federal executive branch employee in Florida who hosts either an experience or three nights in their home from December 18, 2018 to March 18, 2019.
- Straz Center, Tampa, FREE tickets to select performances for furloughed government employees while supplies last. Offer includes:
- Kid Time presentation of family-friendly musical "Rosie Revere, Engineer". Sunday, 1/20 at 2 p.m.
- Club Jaeb performance by singer/songwriter Carrie Newcomer, 1/21 at 7:30 p.m.
- Jobsite Theater's production of Shakespeare's "Othello", 1/18 at 8 p.m., 1/19 at 8 p.m., 1/20 at 4 p.m.
- The City of Pinellas Park defer certain utility fees for federal employees and Coast Guard until shutdown is over. For more info call 727-369-0690
- Duke Energy offering assistance to federal works on managing bills. More info.
- S.O.S (Serving Our Savior) offering help for federal employees on furlough. Workers can come to S.O.S food distribution at 8:30 a.m. on Thursdays at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, located at 439 E. Norvell Bryant Hwy. in Hernando. Must bring proof of federal employment and job furlough. Call 352-422-2429 for more info.
- City of St. Pete offering free admission to Sunken Gardens and Boyd Hill Nature Preserve starting Jan. 19 through the duration of the government shutdown. Valid federal ID or recent pay stub and photo ID required to gain admission for residents, visitors, and up to three guests.
- Sunken Gardens located at 1825 4th Street North
- Boyd Hill Nature Preserve located at 1101 Country Club Way South
- Humane Society of Pinellas offering free pet food for furloughed federal employees. Click here for more info or call 727-797-7722.
- Tampa Bay History Center offering free admission to furloughed federal employees, with proper ID, and up to three guests during the government shutdown.
- Owner of Kahwa Coffee offering a free small drip coffee to federal employees. Be sure to bring government ID.