Federal workers line up for food assistance as shutdown enters third week

WASHINGTON - For thousands of federal workers, Friday was supposed to be payday. Instead, many received nothing — despite decades of service.

Local perspective:

Across the region, food banks are stepping up to fill the gap. In both D.C. and Alexandria, new food distributions are being set up to help families struggling to make ends meet as the shutdown stretches into its third week.

These families are missing a full paycheck and facing tough choices between paying bills or buying food to eat. That’s why the Capital Area Food Bank is partnering with local nonprofits to help.

At Urban Outreach in Southeast D.C., federal employees lined up for food assistance — something many never thought they’d need.

"It’s not a good feeling," one federal worker said. "The uncertainty of what you never expected to happen in your lifetime — I’m fifty-something years old, and I never thought this would happen."

Faith leaders say they’ll continue to serve families for as long as the need remains.

"We believe there’s a higher power that helps us provide, and that’s what’s been happening," said Reverend Wil Stroman of Urban Outreach. "We will continue to do this as long as we can."

The Capital Area Food Bank’s latest Hunger Report found that more than a third of residents in the region struggled to afford food at some point last year — and those numbers are climbing as the shutdown continues.

Big picture view:

The impact extends beyond government workers. Missed paychecks are already creating a ripple effect for small businesses and contractors who rely on federal spending.

Food distributions are now happening weekly at Urban Outreach in Southeast D.C. and United Community in Alexandria every Friday until the shutdown ends.

"I hope so — it’s got to end," another worker said. "It’s going to start affecting people’s mortgages and car loans, so we can’t have it."