"Officers are not just not showing up, they have reasons for not showing up. Whether it is I can’t put gas in my car, I have to take care of my children," Aaron Barker, an American Federation of Government Employees union leader in Atlanta, said Monday.

Federal employees are guaranteed to receive back pay once the shutdown ends, according to a 2019 law.

Less money and a lot less help

"I’ve heard from officers who cannot afford copayments for cancer treatments or office visits for their sick children," Barker said. "Many are coping with eviction notices, vehicle repossessions, empty refrigerators and overdrawn bank accounts."

In the last major shutdown, which affected the entire federal government, more financial help was available to struggling federal workers.

"It’s very different this time because of the close proximity to the previous shutdown, the 34-day shutdown. So the resources and things that were available, they are just not there anymore," he said. "So while they were starting to dig themselves out of a hole, they just can’t do that anymore."

Some employees were able to access short-term, no-interest loans from their financial institutions to help them meet expenses during the last impasse. And several nonprofit groups hosted events to provide groceries and household items to affected employees.

"The officers are pissed off. They want this to end. They are ready to get back to some normalcy or some consistency within their lives," Barker added.

This time, bcgame.ai several employees interviewed by CNN said they are not getting as much support. Some have opted to withdraw thousands of dollars from their retirement accounts to pay the bills, and others are borrowing from family and friends. And many are trying to figure out what bills can be left unpaid or what expenses can be postponed until they start receiving paychecks again.

Some airports have started asking travelers to assist the TSA officers. Denver International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas are requesting donations of items, including grocery and gas gift cards, non-perishable food, hygiene products and infant supplies.

In Idaho, Boise Airport put out food donation boxes and Pocatello Regional Airport is accepting donations of food, household supplies and gift cards.

"The financial consequences of this shutdown, damaged credit, missed payments and lost housing will remain after the government reopens," Barker said.