As the US government shutdown drags on, the ripple effects are becoming painfully clear. In a Washington suburb, a long line of federal workers stretches across a parking lot — not for a paycheck, but for food.
Among them stands 74-year-old Diane Miller, a lifelong public servant, clutching her government ID. Her voice trembles as she asks, “How am I gonna eat?”
When her turn comes, she’s handed two boxes — one filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, another with canned goods and dry staples. “Every bit of it counts,” she says. Her paycheck has stopped, but the bills haven’t.
More than 600,000 federal workers have been furloughed since October 1 after a political stalemate between Republicans and Democrats triggered the shutdown. Many now rely on food banks and community charities to survive.
“You have people who, just two weeks ago, had steady paychecks and normal lives,” said Dave Silbert, head of So What Else, one of the local organizations distributing groceries. “Now they’re in food lines.”
Miller, who has served in both federal and local government for over five decades, says this feels like betrayal. “We’ve built this country, but now they’re tearing down what we stood for. They’re renovating the White House for $250 million while we’re in line for food. That’s not the America I believed in.”
Nearby, Adrian, a 33-year federal tax law expert, voices a shared frustration. “We can’t even pay our mortgages. But Congress? They’re still getting paid. If we don’t have a paycheck, they shouldn’t either.”
For Amber, a mother of two and an HR employee with the US Army, the shutdown has compounded her personal struggles. “I’m in the middle of a divorce. I took out a $20,000 loan just to survive. Now, no paycheck means I can’t even feed my kids properly. That’s why I’m here.”
As winter looms, federal workers across the nation are bracing for even tougher times. For them, the shutdown isn’t politics — it’s survival.
Diane Miller, standing beneath the gray sky, sighs deeply. “We should be a proud country. But right now? I’m sad to be an American.”
