A coalition of San Diego nonprofits said it's ready to help Coast Guard and other government workers affected by the partial government shutdown at a news conference Tuesday.
More than a year ago the five organizations formed an emergency response group to coordinate relief efforts during times of crisis, leaders said.
The organizations are the Armed Services YMCA, the Support the Enlisted Project, Zero8Hundred, the San Diego Military Advisory Council and Feeding San Diego.
"Those five coming together were like, 'hey, we all do a little bit different services, but collectively we can do so much better,'" said Ashley Camac, CEO of Zero8Hundred, a nonprofit that provides social work services to active duty and transitioning military families.
"Collectively, let's make sure we can get them food, we can get them diapers, we can help support rent — if that becomes a challenge," she said.
A partial government shutdown began Feb. 14 after Democrats in Congress refused to pass a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats are demanding immigration enforcement reforms at DHS in the wake of the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by immigration agents in January.
DHS also includes the Secret Service, Transportation Safety Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard in addition to its immigration agencies.
Immigration agents and members of the Coast Guard are still receiving regular paychecks, according to Government Executive, a news outlet covering the federal workforce.
Tracy Owens, the senior military relations officer at the Support the Enlisted Project, or STEP, said they're ready to help if needed.
"We're ready to mobilize with Feeding San Diego to support with an onsite distribution of food and produce and items like that," she said.
Congressional Democrats, back in Washington, D.C. this week, said they're not going to fund DHS until Republicans agree to some immigration enforcement reforms, such as mandating body cameras and banning masks for agents.
Republicans called on Democrats to give up those demands in the wake of renewed domestic terror threats after strikes on Iran by U.S. and Israeli forces.
