For RVers and travelers, the Grand Canyon remains open—but the people running it are struggling. Many staff members are unpaid as the national park shutdown drags on, relying on food donations and volunteers to keep the park running and themselves fed.
Across the country, volunteers and nonprofits are stepping up to fill gaps left by the shutdown. From theft in California’s Redwood National Park to illegal parachuting off Yosemite’s El Capitan, parks are facing challenges that go far beyond the usual trail cleanup.
National park shutdown leads to food bank at Grand Canyon
At Grand Canyon National Park, many employees remain unpaid, turning to a Grand Canyon food pantry set up by the Flagstaff Family Food Center. Though the main center sits nearly 80 miles away, one staff member has taken on the challenge of organizing the on-site pantry.
Heather Lapre, who helps manage the effort, has been gathering volunteers and supplies to meet growing demand. Normally, the pantry supports seasonal workers and local families. It now serves the entire park staff. “I don’t like seeing my friends, my coworkers, struggling to make ends meet, worrying about whether or not, when they’re going to get their next paycheck,” said Aubrey LaBarre, a seasonal employee quoted by NPR. “Who knows how long this is going to last.”
The pantry operates three days a week—Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays—and typically serves 80 to 100 families. That includes park employees, gateway community families, and nearby tribal households.
This isn’t the first time the Grand Canyon food pantry has filled in for missed paychecks. During the 2018–2019 shutdown, which lasted 34 days, it ran for seven weeks and handed out more than 29,000 pounds of food.
Volunteers filling in gaps across the country
The Grand Canyon isn’t alone. At Great Smoky Mountains National Park, ten local and nonprofit groups pooled funds to keep staff paid and visitor services running. In Utah, the state approved $5 million to support park operations, and the Zion Forever Project contributed additional funds. In Maine, Friends of Acadia is rallying donors to sustain the park through the shutdown.
Even as Washington gridlock continues, people across the country are finding ways to keep parks alive. On Reddit and travel forums, visitors are offering to bring food and lend a hand—turning park vacations into service projects.
For RVers visiting national parks, these efforts mean many destinations remain open, even if services are limited. Volunteers and nonprofits keeping the parks afloat show just how much Americans care about public lands—and the people who protect them.
Sources include: The Travel
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RVT1231b
Great article RnT. My takeaways of this article is that the generous spirit of the American people is alive and well. That our parks will endure with the support of fellow citizens and our compassion for each other is how we heal and overcome.
Happy trails 😎 ✌️
I agree Cancel! It is the American way on full display. Now I wonder if the park staff will be paying for those meals when they get their “retroactive” back-pay checks for the current unpaid periods? Sad we have a hold out party who fails to recognize the sad state of affairs this country is in financially – especially in a world of tensions which may require massive amounts of money – which we don’t have! We, the electors or the majority who voted – did so to get control of the spending, crime and immigration. Majority rules?
DW/ND, we have TWO hold out parties that each refuse to budge for their own reasons.
Don’t believe for a minute they can’t agree to release funds for the NPS and other essential services separate of their larger disagreements. Imagine you and your wife refusing to pay all of the bills and let your kids starve because you can’t agree what’s left over should go her buying a dress or you buying a shotgun.
It is absolutely indefensible by both parties.
A POX on both houses…. maybe but one side wants $1.5 trillion of additional spending to open the Gov’t for seven weeks and the other wants spending to stay the same using Bidens last budget, for seven extra weeks while negotiating a new budget. Maybe, just maybe, open up and negotiate, not hold the entire country hostage.
AMEN! (They should also start working on the 2026-2028 budget now – maybe they could actually get one in place when due on 1 Oct!).
Hi Vince: As Cancel noted it is a POX on both parties. IMO, that is true only to the extent they can’t seem to find some compromise ground to at least keep the countries essentials functioning. The least they could do is stop dramatizing on the news every nite about how bad the other is! In this budget issue – the majority is more right than the minority – spending control is what we voted for! Also, contrary to news media comments – these people aren’t working without pay – they will get retroactive checks if and when. (i.e., USAA Bank is offering no interest loans to military personnel to help them if needed).
I hear ya mate. Why Congress can’t fund what has no disagreement and then sort out what they don’t see eye to eye off to the side befuddles me.
Stay safe out there!
Staff don’t need to repay the money back. They’re not responsible for not getting their pay checks. Trouble is we’re not getting the true story from either party. Party in power has billions to retrofit Trumps plane gifted to him. Money to build a room for parties at the white house. Money to bailout other countries. But not enough money to help Americans that need food and medical. I know personally how important medical insurance is needed. Been lucky to always have had money to buy food.
Thank you, Russ and Tina! Seems these efforts are counter-productive if the idea is to demonstrate that funding is important and necessary. If things and people just “carry-on,” then it is a bit more than an implication that previous budgets were excessive. Were they? Seems an empirical question that is being answered daily. Have a great day and safe travels!
I feel for all those required to work with no pay. It’s great that so many are stepping up to help.
If Congress and their staff (in total) had to eat their own cooking (work with no pay, no benefits, perhaps even daily personal fines for them) this would not be happening.
Govt shutdowns are one reason to have a rainy day fund. Shutdowns are always political in nature. Never hurts the guys on top.
Here in Florida we’ve already noticed the Canadian snowbird boycott-hospitality has NOT been hiring. 2 weeks ago I made a major donation to the local food pantry. When I, a single mother attending nursing school in 1979 ran over my Food stamp allotment, the cashiers would take the shortfall (always less than $1) from their own pockets to make up the difference-never allowing me to repay them. Once I asked why they did it for me and not for any other of the food stamp moms and they said “We’ve seen what you buy.” Scratch cooking including baking my own bread. Ever since then I’ve tried to pay it forward. Bless the people stepping forward.
God bless you.
My son is a NPS ranger in charge of the Jamestown National Park. He was directed to shut down the park and another he also supervises. He was directed that there is no option to work free or keep them open. I hope that he does not get laid off as he is scheduled to retire in less than two years.
God bless those running the food pantry. People need money to eat and our politicians have no concern for them. They’re all millionaires and some billionaires still getting paid that don’t need the paycheck.