Federal employees are relying on community aid as the government shutdown continues, marking the second time since November that some workers have had to report to their jobs without pay.
G. Brinson, a federal employee, said the ongoing uncertainty is stressful.
“You just don’t know what’s gonna happen. There’s a chance we gotta take and continue to pray and hope we go through this. How long that is, I have no idea,” Brinson said.
Brinson is now worried about affording basic necessities.
When asked if she could keep up with rent, she replied, “So far, yes. Next month… no.”
She lives near where Pembroke Park holds its food drive and had to attend one in November, never expecting to return. “It may not be much, but it’s something that’s gonna help so we can sustain ourselves,” she said.
Brinson did not have time to wait in the long line that stretched down 52nd Street, but the town accommodated walk-ups. Town officials later gave CBS News Miami some food to deliver to her.
Joe Donzelli of the town of Pembroke Park noted that the shutdown is affecting people who have never needed help before. “We have folks during the best of times who have insecurities. Now you have the partial government shutdown. You have folks who are trying to find out where their first meal is going to come from who have never had to figure that out before,” Donzelli said.
The town’s reliance on donations helps supply thousands of pounds of fresh food. The donations ran out in a few hours due to the demand.
