How Atlanta Public Schools are helping people affected by government shutdown

ATLANTA — The government shutdown is still going, impacting thousands of employees and their families.

Atlanta Public Schools is stepping up to help those affected. The district has a plan in place and the plan also includes you at home.

"When they are having life situations at home, that spills over into work where they maybe can't concentrate as well, or they are distracted, and we really want to help them be their best in front of our kids," Skye Duckett, chief human resources officer, told Channel 2's Lauren Pozen.

An estimated 800,000 federal employees are working without pay as the shutdown enters its fifth week.

The district says roughly between 300 to 500 of its employees have a spouse or household member as part of that number.

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One of the suggestions of how you can help: Drop off food or snacks at the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

Another way is through a GoFundMe that would help support the families impacted. Superintendent Meria Carstarphen donated $1,500 of her own money.

The district is also hiring furloughed spouses to work as substitute teachers for the district.

Not only is the shutdown impacting workers, but it could also soon impact school districts across the country with food services. But Duckett said the district's supplies shouldn't be affected.

"We are in a pretty good situation with our stockpiles for the year, we don’t anticipate any operational issues there," she said.

Cox Media Group