Oakland Symphony, Met Opera offer furloughed federal workers free music during shutdown
FILE ART: Oakland Symphony provided by Marshall Lamm
OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - Community members throughout the country are stepping up to support furloughed federal workers with their basic needs: Offering them groceries, clothes and other daily necessities.
Now, the Oakland Symphony is donating food for the soul.
Federal workers may now get two free tickets to the symphony for one month beyond the eventual end of the shutdown.
Lefty O'Doul's offers all-you-can-eat buffets during shutdown
"Oakland Symphony recognizes the enormous impact the government shutdown is having on a number of federal workers in our Bay Area community and we want to help in the best way we know how -- by sharing beautiful music together," spokesman Marshall Lamm said on Tuesday.
Other musical venues have the same thoughts.
The Metropolitan Opera is also offering free tickets to people with government IDs from Saturday through the end of the month. A pair of tickets per performance can be reserved in advance by telephone or in person at the Met box office.
These "extras" are in addition to the basic needs already being provided by businesses and groups including: Lefty O'Doul's in San Francisco, which is offering all-you-can-eat buffets, grocery giveaways for Coast Guard families in the East Bay and the city of San Jose, which set up a short-term loan program to help TSA workers pay rent during the shutdown, now in its 32nd day.
For more information on getting tickets to a Oakland Symphony call (510) 444-0802, or visit the Orchestra’s downtown Oakland office at 1440 Broadway. For more information, click here.