WNC businesses helping customers affected by government shutdown
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Twenty-five days later, and many federal workers in the mountains remained out of work because of the government shutdown.
They just missed the first paycheck of the year, and some struggled to pay their bills or even buy groceries.
"This is in no way a political statement from either side,” Andy Singleton, co-owner of Great Harvest Bread Co., said. “This is just a little way to see if we can help."
Singleton hoped a little would go a long way.
"We're offering for anybody who's not getting a paycheck, who's affected by the government shutdown, to come on in and get a free loaf of bread on us,” Singleton said. “We see the stories on TV, you know, it's kind of heart wrenching for these folks."
That was why folks at Morningstar Storage, like property manager Wendy Messer, approved a sign along Long Shoals Road reading:
“SHUTDOWN VICTIMS CAN WE HELP."
"If they're current tenants here at the storage, we will offer them whatever discount we can to help them out. Probably, we would take a month off,” Messer said. "If it's a new customer, we would probably do the same, if they were a victim of the shutdown."
So far, about four customers moved in on the deal.
"A lot of them are very prideful, but they were very emotional, because they didn't realize we would put up a sign like that, and we would be able to help them like that," Messer said.
Even major corporations, such as Bank of America, were helping them like that, too.
"Which include waving payments for credit cards, we can offer cash advances at 0 percent APR for up to three months," Bank of America spokesperson Andy Aldridge said.
Any options had no fees and no reports to credit bureaus.
"We want to make sure our customers, who are being affected by the shutdown, are being taken care of,” Aldridge said. “We know this is a hard situation for anyone who's being affected."
For more information on Bank of America shutdown assistance, click here.
