During the shutdown, a first-ever visit to a food pantry: 'This lets us know people see us'
Kathryn stood in front of her car, trunk open, taking a moment to catch her breath. She’d just carried two boxes brimming with food across the parking lot at No Limits Outreach, near Washington, D.C.
“I wasn’t expecting to get that much food,” she said, smiling.
Behind her, Kathryn’s trunk was loaded with boxes of fresh produce, bread, protein and shelf-stable items from a food distribution for furloughed federal workers. Across the country, the Feeding America network supported federal workers facing uncertainty during the government shutdown.
“I did pretty good surviving October, but November’s going to be rough,” she admitted. “So, I decided it was time to swallow some humble pie and start taking advantage of all these great resources the community is providing for us.”
No Limits worked with the Capital Area Food Bank – a member of the Feeding America network – to support federal workers furloughed during the government shutdown. In the beginning of October, the agency started distributing food once a week and had been serving more than 300 federal workers per distribution.
Many of whom, including Kathryn, have never needed emergency food assistance before.
“I’ve worked with people experiencing food insecurity my whole adult career, but the one part they never teach you is when to ask for help yourself, so it was a very difficult decision,” she said.
But, she’s glad she made it.
“This lets us know that people see us,” she said. “It’s just very touching to see the community coming together to support us.”
During the shutdown, the Feeding America network across the country mobilized to provide food and support for furloughed federal workers - many of whom had never needed food assistance before. As neighbors continue to recover from the shutdown, the Feeding America network will continue to support families and individuals who have been impacted.