Government shuts down, citizens step up for troops and veterans

By now you probably already know about Fisher House stepping up to take care of soldiers killed in Afghanistan and their families. There seems to be a lot of people stepping up while congress messes up.

Here are few of some of the great news reports that should have had a lot more attention.

In Fergus Falls Minnesota, Vietnam veteran Dave Anderson, inspired by people mowing the lawn at the Lincoln Memorial, decided to do the same for the National Guards.

In Arkansas VA employees attended a rally in support of veterans they serve and it turns out, they've been helping them for free doing whatever they can.

In San Diego a veteran riding 6,500 miles across country had his bike stolen. He was riding to raise awareness for PTSD and suicides. The update is according to ABC News "10News spoke with Jarrett on Monday morning and he says his bike is still missing. However, he said people have begun to offer donations so he can build a new bike and continue his journey."

In Pittsburg donors made a disabled veterans house a home. “What we're trying to do is remove one stress from their daily lives and give them comfort and security in their own home. They don't have to worry about fixing a window, sink or the electrical outlets,” he said. “Most of these men and women are too proud to ask for help. But this is the least we can do for our heroes,” said Hoffecker, who left his job as a hospital construction manager in New York to start the nonprofit.

And today in Washington President Obama visited "Martha's Table, a Washington food bank that distributes tens of thousands of meals to homeless and low-income D.C. residents each year.

Federal workers who have been barred from going to work during the shutdown have flooded the charity center to help volunteer during their time off.

“We're lucky to have 10,000 volunteers, but what we've seen in the last few days is an enormous surge in federal employees,” Patty Stonesifer, CEO of Martha's Table, told the Washington Fox News affiliate last week.

Obama said he hoped “that the kind of spirit that is shown by all these outstanding volunteers is going to carry over in the meeting with the leadership this afternoon.”

“These are folks who have not been paid, and in some cases, are very eager to be back on the job, but are not even allowed to work, and yet they're here contributing and giving back to the community, and I think that shows the kind of spirit that we have among all kinds of federal workers all across the country,” he said."