TSA employees and air traffic controllers at Newark Airport were offered food to take home to their families.

The groceries were courtesy of the Community Foodbank of New Jersey, which is helping the essential workers who are working through the government shutdown without getting paid.

As the government shutdown reached Day 27, a food distribution center was set up within Terminal C.

Essential employees were given fresh vegetables and fruit, along with a box of nonperishable foods.

The workers are among 22,600 federal workers in New Jersey, many of whom are furloughed are not working and not getting paid.

“Turnout has been great we are expecting to serve between 1200 and 1600 people today,” said Elizabeth McCarthy, the president of the Community Foodbank of New Jersey.

McCarthy said of the effort at the airport, “Really just wanted to sort of help at a time where these workers are under a lot of pressure but still have to pay the rent or mortgage.”

Leaders at the Community Foodbank of New Jersey are watching closely to see what happens with the shutdown.

If it doesn’t end on Nov. 1, 850,000 New Jersey residents who rely on the federal government to help their families with food will lose their SNAP benefits.

The Community Foodbank is expecting to feel a surge in customers if that happens.