Churches ramp up efforts to help furloughed workers

$1,600 in cash and $1,570 in gift cards.

Nationwide, roughly 800,000 federal workers are affected by the partial shutdown.

Help has poured in from many sources, nonprofits like the Atlanta Community Food Bank, businesses offering free food and churches.

“Awesome, awesome, awesome,” said the Rev. Wilbur T. Purvis III, pastor of the Austell church.

Related: Churches help furloughed workers during shutdown

The partial shutdown is the longest one in U.S. history. Many families live paycheck to paycheck, so even missing one can cause problems.

Some have taken second jobs to make ends meet or  put off medical procedures.

Meanwhile, the the South Fulton Ministerial Alliance has also responded to help unpaid workers.

The alliance of African-American churches will give away groceries and monetary assistance. The SFMA Cares Outreach will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at St. Stephen Missionary Baptist Church, 2670 Hogan Road in East Point.

To receive assistance, employees must bring work identification.

“These federal workers are trapped in a political tug of war,” said the Rev. Shanan Jones, pastor of The Gathering Baptist Church in College Park. “It’s extremely unfair and it’s time for the church to stand and show America that there’s another government - the Kingdom of Christ, imbued with love and justice.”