United Way of Northern Arizona has established a special fund to benefit federal workers, contractors and others being impacted by the ongoing partial shutdown of the United States government.
Contributions to the UWNA Government Shutdown Fund will help those affected by what is now the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history.
You can donate by texting “nazgovshutdown” to 40403.
“Many residents in Northern Arizona are either employed by the federal government or are contractors to the government,” said UWNA President & CEO Steve Peru. “Our friends and neighbors are hurting, and the ripple effect of their struggle is now being felt by everyone. The shutdown fund will enable individuals and others to give back to those who work to keep our country going.“
During the shutdown, United Ways around the country have been providing a host of services to federal workers and others, including financial services and counseling, assistance for food and rent, and other immediate needs. All donations to the fund will be distributed to local agencies already contending with the skyrocketing demand for services as furloughed workers and contractors face their second month without pay.
About 800,000 federal workers have been furloughed or are continuing to work without pay because of the shutdown, while estimates of the number of federal contractor employees who have been impacted ranged from the hundreds of thousands to more than a million. The federal government contracts with approximately 10,000 companies nationwide, who in turn employ close to 4 million people. Unlike direct federal employees, these contractors will not receive back pay when the government re-opens.
“While we hope for a resolution to the federal shutdown soon, the negative impact will be felt by government employees well beyond the government reopening its doors,” said Sylvia A. Johnson, Chair of the UWNA Board. “Communities across the nation have been taking steps to support friends and neighbors who are struggling during this crisis. We now extend this call for assistance throughout Flagstaff and northern Arizona and ask that you donate whatever you can to the UWNA Government Shutdown Fund.”
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