Perry donated $250,000 worth of $1,000 gift cards to support TSA employees who have worked without pay for nearly six weeks during the partial government shutdown.
ATLANTA — There is a happy ending to the confusion and back-and-forth over Tyler Perry’s generous donation to support Atlanta’s TSA workers.
A spokesperson for Tyler Perry said they received a notice that all workers can now keep the money gifted to them.
Perry donated $250,000 worth of $1,000 gift cards to support TSA employees who have worked without pay for nearly six weeks during the partial government shutdown. Many have struggled to buy groceries, gasoline, and cover expenses for necessities. Some have faced eviction.
A Perry spokesperson says they have documentation, as of Tuesday, March 31, from DHS/TSA legal team saying that the situation is now resolved and everything is fine.
They are told about 100 employees returned the physical gift cards to management, but most were empty of funds. Those cards will now be given back to workers as a “memento” of Perry’s visit to the airport and staff support.
Sources in TSA said the donation from Tyler Perry was a massive boost to morale, and Perry was seen as the “team hero” during a difficult time. One TSA employee called him a “modern-day Robin Hood” and said the team will always be grateful for his kindness.
Hundreds of agents have worked without pay through a crush of security lines. At times, lines have stretched outside Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. In the midst of that, Perry’s gesture came through as a meaningful lift.
It all started with a surprise visit.
Last week, Tyler Perry went to the airport with cash, hoping to distribute it to take some pressure off TSA workers. He was told he could not do that because federal rules do not allow them to receive money. He stayed to take pictures with employees and thanked them for their service while not getting paid.
The following day, his team went back with gift cards. His representative tells 11Alive they went through the proper channels at the airport and had approval from the DHS/TSA Legal Counsel. In fact, Perry’s team delivered $250,000 in gift cards to the TSA upper management to distribute to TSA employees.
On Friday, multiple sources inside the airport alerted 11Alive that managers were told to inform TSA workers to return the gift cards to their supervisors. There was confusion and disappointment. Most gift card funds had already been spent.
The response from the public was fast and strong — thousands of comments from people upset that workers couldn’t accept a donation at such a critical time. Commenters hoped for a solution or change of heart.
It appears that is exactly what happened.
As for the more lasting situation facing TSA agents, an executive order by President Donald Trump to get them paid with other DHS funding sources led to payments to accounts on Monday. Officials said TSA agents have received two full paychecks but are awaiting a partial check.
On the congressional front, late last week the Senate reached a deal to fund TSA, but it was rejected by the House. Now lawmakers are home for a two-week recess.
It’s unclear how long TSA workers could continue to be paid with re-directed DHS funds. President Trump’s order stated: “Once regular funding for TSA has been restored, every effort should be made, as authorized by law, to adjust applicable funding accounts within DHS to ensure the continuation of DHS operations and activities consistent with planned expenditures prior to the lapse.”