Montclair Bakery Offers Unpaid Federal Workers Free Coffee, Snack

MONTCLAIR, NJ — A Montclair bakery is offering federal employees affected by the ongoing government shutdown a free cup of coffee and a snack.

On Monday, the Montclair Bread Company announced that government employees who are furloughed or working without pay are welcome to stop by the retail bakery for a free cup of coffee and either a loaf of bread or sandwich.

“My dad, brother, and two of my aunts are government employees,” owner Rachel Wyman said. “I’m happy to have something I can share with my community. It’s the right thing to do.”

Wyman and the Montclair Bread Company have done politically themed outreach to the community in the past. In Jan 2017, Wyman, along with a team of volunteers, made hundreds of sack lunches at 3 a.m. to send to Washington D.C. for the Women’s March.

Wyman also closed the retail bakery in March 2017 to honor “A Day Without Women,” instead opening the Montclair Bread Company’s production facility for free coffee and conversation.

• See related article: Montclair Bakery Gives Workers PTO For International Women's Day
• See related article: Montclair Bakery's Poopy Pastry Gets Grins After Grim Presidential Election

In New Jersey, about 5,000 federal government workers are going without pay as a result of the shutdown, a group of Democratic U.S. lawmakers said last week.

The shutdown was born from a bitter Democrat/Republican budget battle that escalated over the holiday season and reached its 24th day on Monday. President Trump is sticking with his demand for money to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, and Democrats, who took control of the U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 3, are refusing to give him what he wants.

• See related article: 5 Ways Government Shutdown Could Hurt New Jersey

The shutdown isn't just affecting government workers and their families, many of whom had to pinch pennies over the holiday season due to the lack of a paycheck. It's also throwing a monkey wrench into IRS refunds, SNAP and WIC benefits, school/daycare food programs and immigration courts.

• See related article: NJ Congresswoman-Elect Refuses Pay Until Government Shutdown Ends
• See related article: New Jersey Workers Pine For Paychecks Amid Government Shutdown
• See related article: Long Wait At Newark Airport During Shutdown? Fake News, TSA Says

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File Photo: Montclair Bread Company