These groups are offering help to federal workers, many of whom are furloughed and won’t be paid during the government shutdown.
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Some companies and local governments in the D.C. region are offering help to federal workers, many of whom are being furloughed and won’t be paid during the government shutdown.
Tens of thousands of federal workers are furloughed as President Donald Trump’s administration also threatened mass firings over the shutdown.
Here are assistance programs and supports for federal workers and others impacted by the shutdown:
Food
The Capital Area Food Bank is hanging out free food to federal workers during the shutdown. The offerings include fresh produce and shelf stable items.
These are the five pickup locations:
Tuesdays
- From noon to 2 p.m. No Limits Outreach Ministries, located at 7721 Barlowe Rd, Hyattsville, Maryland 20785
Wednesday
- From 10 a.m. to noon, Seneca Creek Community Church at 13 Firstfield Road, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878
Friday
- From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. United Community, located at 7511 Fordson Rd, Alexandria, Virginia 22306
- From 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Urban Outreach, located at 5343 C St SE, D.C. 20019
Saturday
- From 1 to 2:30 p.m. LindaBen Foundation, located at 10739 Tucker St, Beltsville, Maryland 20705
Workers have to show a government ID at the food bank’s popups. WTOP has more information about the plans here.
World Central Kitchen is serving free meals to federal workers on their families at pop-ups on weekdays. For details on where to find meals, head to the nonprofit’s website.
The Archbishop of Baltimore said the church is providing help to those impacted by the government shutdown through meals, housing and other support. According to a news release from the Archdiocese of Baltimore, some of the help available in Maryland includes:
- Catholic Charities of Baltimore — food assistance, emergency housing, family services and counseling support. For details, visit Catholic Charities of Baltimore Serving Our Communities or call 410-600-2000.
- The St. Vincent de Paul Society — offers offers breakfast and hot lunch Monday through Friday. There’s also direct assistance for rent, utilities and daily essentials available. For more information, visit St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore or call 410-662-0500.
- Anyone who needs groceries or a meal can visit parish food pantries and access community outreach and assistance programs. To find a parish near you, visit the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s website.
Utilities
Pepco and Baltimore Gas and Electric:
- Flexible payment options: Both companies offer payment arrangements up to 12 months and budget billing plans, according to a news release.
- Late payment charge waivers: Affected customers can get a 30-day waiver on late payment charges in increments.
- Proactive resources: Pepco has an Assistance Finder tool and Single Stop, which helps customers find programs they may qualify for. BGE has a self-service Assistance Finder.
Pepco and BGE said customers won’t be asked to provide a government ID to get access to support.
Details from BGE can be found here. Details from Pepco can be found here.
WSSC Water:
- Maryland’s largest water utility will suspend service turnoffs and waive late fees for customers directly impacted by the government shutdown, according to a news release.
- Lyn Riggins, a WSSC spokesperson, told WTOP that customers of the water utility company are “not going to have to worry about a water service turn off,” if they can’t pay their bills during the shutdown.
- Riggins said the water utility’s Get Current program, which offers forgiveness for a portion of a customer’s bill, and which was to have wrapped up at the end of October, is being extended by a month.
Washington Gas:
- The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, provides grants to help families pay for their gas bills. The program application reopened Wednesday through the Department of Energy and Environment.
Services
Koons Motors is offering free oil change and service to furloughed employees who own a Ford, Lincoln or Mazda.
Finances
Credit unions are offering resources to assist federal workers and military families affected by the government shutdown
Michele Evermore, senior fellow at the National Academy of Social Insurance, advises federal employees to check with their banks if they need help in paying their bills, making credit card payments or need a loan.
“I just signed into the U.S. Senate Federal Credit Union and they have available a $5,000 no-interest loan for people who are furloughed,” she said,
Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO and board president at the Blue Star Families, told WTOP that military credit unions are offering similar breaks.
“And it’s important to know that their banks will work with them,” she said.
Credit unions and relief:
- Navy Federal Credit Union is offering eligible members that may be impacted by paycheck disruptions during the shutdown maximum $6,000 loans based on how much the last eligible direct deposit was.
- PenFed Credit Union is offering paycheck protection loans, payment skips and assistance for home loans.
- USAA is helping members with 0% interest loans up to $6,000, and special payment arrangements for auto and property insurance premiums as well as life and health insurance.
- First Command is offering a 0% annual percentage rate pay advance loan with no fees or interest charges.
Virginia
Available support includes:
- Federal employees and contractors can’t be evicted or foreclosed on during a federal government shutdown, under state law.
Fairfax County:
- In response to the shutdown, the country has extended the deadline for residents to pay their personal property tax, oftentimes referred to as a car tax. Residents have until Nov. 5 to pay without penalties.
Alexandria:
- The city of Alexandria is offering short-term relief resources to residents and businesses, according to a news release from the city.
- In terms of enforcement relief, there are extended payment plans available to people directly impacted by the shutdown, though penalties and interest will accrue.
Maryland
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said federal workers can ride the MARC train and Commuter Bus for free during the government shutdown. To ride for free, workers need to show a federal ID badge.
Available support includes:
- Furloughed federal employees can apply for unemployment insurance benefits. They would have to pay back those benefits after the shutdown ends and they receive retroactive pay.
- “Excepted,” or essential, employees, who are required to continue working during the shutdown without receiving a paycheck, are eligible to apply for the Maryland Department of Labor’s Federal Shutdown Loan Program. The program offers a one-time, no-interest loan of $700 to help workers meet expenses such as rent and groceries. The loan must be repaid 45 days after the shutdown ends.
- Furloughed federal employees who are at risk of eviction or foreclosure can ask the court for a temporary pause. Unlike in Virginia, those protections don’t apply to contractors.
- The state has protections in place to prevent electric and gas companies from shutting off service to furloughed employees who are missing bills. Those protections kick in on the eighth day of a government shutdown.
- Should the shutdown continue, the Federal Shutdown Loan Program will open on Oct. 6. The program offers a $700 no-interest loan to impacted employees, which must be paid back 45 days after the shutdown ends.
Montgomery County:
Mental health
The Archdiocese of Baltimore is offering help to Marylanders looking for mental health or counseling services. Those services are provided through Catholic Charities of Baltimore and other partners of the diocese. The Archdiocese of Baltimore’s website has details on how to get help.
WTOP’s Will Vitka, Ciara Wells and Kate Ryan contributed to this report.
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