US: Syrian refugee offers free meal to federal workers

By Dildar Baykan

NEW YORK (AA) - A Syrian refugee living in the U.S. provides federal government employees with free meal everyday at his restaurant, as Washington is going through a partial government shutdown.

Yassin Terou, the owner of the Yassin’s Falafel House in Tennessee, launched the campaign on Jan. 14, which offers free meals to federal workers when they show their employee ID cards.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Terou said he came to the U.S. in 2011 after the civil war broke out in Syria, and opened the restaurant in 2014.

“People in Tennessee showed us so much love at that time,” Terou said, adding that they started the campaign to return the favor of “hardworking and helpful” people.

The owner of the restaurant said the number of people who benefit from the campaign -- "launched for love”-- was increasing day by day.

Terou said the move did not have any political concerns and it does not matter if the people coming to his shop are Republican or Democrat.

“We’ve received so much support for this campaign,” he added.

- Turkish people show great hospitality to Syrians

Terou also thanked the Turkish nation for hosting the Syrians.

“Turkish nation has shown a big help and hospitality to people who sought refuge in the country due to the situation in Syria,” he said.

Terou also said he wishes to hear stories similar to his own from his Syrian brothers living in Turkey.

Yassin’s Falafel House was named the Nicest Place in America by the Reader’s Digest magazine in 2018.

The ongoing partial government shutdown has become the longest closure in U.S. history as the President Donald Trump continues to insist on funding for his border wall, a demand that Democrats have staunchly resisted.

The shutdown has entered second month on Tuesday with hundreds of thousands of federal employees continuing to miss their paychecks.

Many federal agencies are either shuttered or have limited their operations due to a lapse in funding that began on Dec. 22 due to the shutdown.