Shutdown leaves federal workers seeking food, loans | JQJO

In Prince George's County, federal employees queued for food as a shutdown withheld pay from 1.4 million civilian workers—half furloughed, half still on the job. The Capital Area Food Bank’s initial 300 boxes ran out before reinforcements arrived, underscoring rising need and frayed mental health. With Friday paychecks halted, workers turned to loans, hardship withdrawals, and union relief funds that are quickly dwindling. While the Trump administration redirected money to pay some — from active-duty military to 70,000 DHS officers — many colleagues remain unpaid, a disparity the Bipartisan Policy Center says is beginning to ripple through local economies.